Small World
by Izzy Samson
Summary: AU Set in the modern day, fictional, small world of Panem County, Ohio. In the tiny farming town of Seamburg, Katnissis raising 4 yr old Prim on her own. She and Peeta have not crossed paths since they were children. One night an act of fate brings them back together. All of your favorite characters are here including redneck Uncle Haymitch. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

AU Set in the modern day, fictional, small world of Panem County, Ohio. In the tiny farming town of Seamburg, Katniss and Peeta have not crossed paths since they were children until one night an act of fate brings them back together. All of your favorite characters are here including redneck Uncle Haymitch. Please R&R.

Suzanne Collins, who I am not owns The Hungar Games.

Many thanks to my beta kismet4891!

**Small World**

**Chapter 1**

It's another ordinary September day in the small, rural Ohio town of Seamburg, located in Panem County, just 7 miles south of the county seat of Capitolville. Here farmers are gearing up for harvest, and the high school football team is on a fine start to another losing season, life here is as it always has been for the most part. Although today is going to be one of _those days_ for Katniss Everdeen.

The world is a tough one, life has already taught her that every day there is someone out there experiencing what will be the best day of their lives, and someone else is going through their worst day. Katniss, at twenty-one, had already experienced both. Her best was when she was seventeen, her stint as an only child ended when her baby sister, Primrose, was born. Katniss loved her sister instantly. There was a two-way tie for the worst day, it was between the day her father died and when her mom passed away from cancer a few months later.

Today will be a far cry from the worst day she's ever had, but it is still going to be tough. Katniss looks at the clock, its three-thirty and time to get Prim to pre-school, something that she usually enjoys doing, but not today. Katniss has to break some bad news to Prim, it's not as bad as the two times before, although this will still hurt. She hates to do it because poor little Prim has received more bad news, by the age of four, than most people get before they're forty. Katniss is hurting too, but she can't worry about herself right now, Prim must always take precedence.

"Haymitch, I've got to go to get Prim, answer the phone." Katniss calls into the workshop.

"Sure sweetheart," Haymitch says without taking his eyes off the rifle he is cleaning. "Hey what color is that crazy teacher's hair this week?"

Katniss has to think for a moment. Miss Effie, the pre-school teacher who is 35 pretending to be 20, changes her hair so often that it is hard to recall what color it currently is. "Blonde with purple feathers, I think."

"Feathers?" Haymitch scoffs. "What in the hell, is she trying to get the kids' attention by pretending to be Big Bird?"

"No," Katniss is trying to think about how to explain current fashion trends to her uncle who thinks that camo and flannel plaid are always in vogue. Although she wasn't much better, she only knew about them because Madge had recently gotten some. "Feathers are the fake, colored streaks of hair, they attach them at the salon."

"That woman is crazy," Haymitch shakes his head. "Of course you would have to be, to want to deal with a bunch of snot nosed brats all day. Prim not included, of course."

"Hey, it's the only preschool in town. Besides Prim is learning a lot, she can't spend all day in a gun store, watching TV in the office."

"Now I think that it worked out just fine," Haymitch defends himself having had turned the office into a type of nursery for Prim. He got a satellite dish so she could watch Nick Jr and the Disney channel during the day and bought her brand new Playskool table and chairs so she could draw and have tea parties. There was nothing in the world funnier than the sight of her Uncle Haymitch drinking pretend tea with her four year old sister. He was so sad when Prim started school a month ago, he liked having her around.

"Have you told her about Bow yet?" Haymitch asks with his face full of concern. "Cause if you don't want to tell her, I could."

"No," Katniss tells him. "I'll do it, I would have told her this morning, but I didn't want to ruin her day at school. She didn't seem to notice him being gone this morning."

Haymitch reaches into his pocket, pulls out a ten, and hands it to Katniss. "Here take her to the bakery and get her some cookies and milk, it will soften the blow. Make sure you get yourself something too."

"Thanks Haymitch," Katniss says softly, it's times like these why she finds it so easy to love her gruff uncle.

"Don't mention it sweetheart," Haymitch waves her off. "Why don't you just take the rest of the day off?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I've got Beetee here we'll be fine. Besides you've got to bury him, right?"

"No, Gale was going to dig the hole this morning with the back hoe. Bow still looks like himself, I thought that Prim should see him. I know that's what the psychologist would say. I'll just have to cover him with dirt."

"Good, get going you'll be late," Haymitch reminds her.

Katniss leaves Everdeen's Hunting Supplies and Ammo. She has worked there ever since her Dad and Uncle opened up shop seven years ago. They sold mostly hunting gear, but Haymitch and Beetee also customized guns and other weapons for special order. A lot of their business was internet based, a town as small as Seamburg would never be able to support a shop like this otherwise. The store had been a lifelong dream for both of them, her dad loved archery and hunting. Haymitch liked guns and target shooting, so for the brothers who wanted to run their own business, it seemed like a natural choice.

Choosing to walk the three blocks to Miss Effie's Pre-School, instead of driving there gave Katniss time to rehearse the speech in her head. How does one tell a little girl that the dog who has guarded her every night since she was born is dead? _Prim, you know that Bow was very old and that he has been sick for a while now….Prim, Bow went to go live with Mommy and Daddy in heaven…._Nothing sounded right. When she walked through the door of Miss Effie's she still didn't know how she was going to do tell her.

"Children, time to clean up your mess!" Effie calls out loudly, Katniss could not help to think of Glenda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz when she hears Effie speak. "Now I know that it has been a big, big, big, day but that is no excuse to be rude, Cody. Manners, always remember you're manners!"

"Oh, Katniss how wonderful to see you," Effie approaches her and speaks in a sugary sweet tone, although it still sounded like she was addressing children. "How _are_ you, dear?"

"Fine," Katniss replies evenly, although she's screaming on the inside, _I would be a hundred percent better if everyone would stop asking me how I am! I've lost both of my parents in the last year, I'm twenty-one and raising my little sister, and now I have to tell her that our dog is dead. How do you think I am?!_

"Well that's good, dear," Effie pats her back affectionately. "Primrose, your sister is here, come along now."

"Katniss, look at what I made today!" Prim excitedly tells her when she skips up to Katniss and Effie, her white blonde braids bouncing. Katniss examines the picture, not totally sure what it depicts. It could be one of Gale's cows or a bear maybe, when the artist is four one can never be sure.

"Oh, how pretty," Katniss praises her. "Why don't we get going? I've got a surprise for you on the way home." She feels a little guilty sugar coating things for Prim. Katniss always preferred knowing the truth no matter how harsh it may be, but Prim is nothing like Katniss. Her baby sister is innocent, cheerful, friendly, and the sweetest creature that God has ever put on this Earth. Everybody who met Prim instantly fell in love with her. Katniss could not bring herself to ruin Prim's sunny outlook on life, yet that would come in time.

Hand-in-hand, Katniss and Prim walk into Mellark's Deli and Bakery, Prim chatters on about what she learned in school. "Mr. Flavius taught us about the rainbow today!" Prim tells her.

_I'm sure he did! _Katniss had to withhold a laugh, it just struck her as funny. Inwardly she was glad that Haymitch wasn't there to hear Prim's comment. She would had to have to listen to a few bad gay jokes and then she would had to have the _what was and was not appropriate terminology when referring to homosexuals_ speech with him again. The last time she had to explain to him that _flamer _was not an expectable adjective when talking to Prim about Mr. Flavius. Haymitch was not mean or a homophobe he just was a politically incorrect redneck with very little social grace.

The giant of a man, Mr. Mellark, greets them when they walk in, "Hello, lovely ladies. Will you be having the usual today, chocolate chip cookies and cheese buns with hot chocolate?"

"Yes!" Prim answers happily.

"Actually, could I get some coffee with cream please." Katniss is exhausted both physically and mentally, having not gotten much sleep last night.

"Coffee it is, honey," he says with a sympathetic look.

Katniss directs them to the tiny booth in an out of the way corner of the deli and they take a seat. Prim dunks her cookie into mug of hot chocolate, for a moment Katniss experiences the most bizarre feeling of déjà vu. Katniss had watched her mom do the same thing all the time, but with coffee. Prim is a miniature of their mother, she'll be beautiful someday, like her mom was before the cancer. Katniss shakes it off and concentrates on the task at hand.

"Hey Primmy," Katniss says softly. "You know that Bow was really old and that he has been really sick right?"

The little girl nods.

Katniss takes a deep breath, "Last night there was an accident…Bow got hit by a car and died."

"Oh, I know," Prim answers matter of factly as she sips her hot chocolate. "I saw the angel carry him away last night."

"The angel?" Katniss asks with absolutely no clue what she's talking about. _Great, now I have to tell Dr. Aurelius_ _that Prim is seeing things._ "What angel Prim?"

"The big blonde one on our front porch last night, he had Bow in his arms. He was handsome, but he looked like he was going to cry. You talked to him, remember Katniss? So did Gale."

Suddenly it dawns on Katniss, and she understands what Prim saw. The guy who hit Bow was big and blonde haired, and he carried Bow onto the porch. Prim's bedroom window looks out onto the porch, maybe to a four year old in the glow of the porch lights he looked like an angel.

For the past year and a half, Prim's life had been filled with talk of Heaven and going to live with Jesus, it started when their mom had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. When their dad died in a car accident almost a year ago, the Heaven stories became an everyday thing, so it's no wonder her thoughts go directly to angels.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX

_Ten-thirty at night and there is a knock at the door this won't be good_, Katniss thought when she heard a frantic rapping at the front door of her mobile home. Either the cows were out, or someone was broken down were the most likely causes. But, you never know. The revolver she kept locked in the gun safe would take too long to get, so she grabbed the baseball bat from the closet. A girl living alone with her little sister, with the closest neighbor being half a mile away could not be careful enough.

After pulling on a pair of pajama pants and sweater over her sleeping shorts and tank top, Katniss turned on the porch lights and cracked the door as wide as the chain allowed to see an unfamiliar face. It was guy about her age with a panicked look in his incredibly blue eyes. He was large, almost a foot taller than her and broad. She was about to ask him what it was he needed, but then what he carried in his arms caught her attention. Bow, the dog that her mom and she had got her dad as a Christmas gift when she was five, was laying limp in the strange man's arms.

"I-I'm so, sorry," he stammered. "I hit your dog. He came out of nowhere…I tried to slow down, but I couldn't stop."

Katniss fought the urge to run onto the porch and withheld her cries of shock and grief and told the stranger, "Excuse me while I call my husband." She ran into the kitchen and grabbed her cell phone and called Gale, her cousin. When he picked up she quickly explained the situation and told him to pretend to be her husband when he got there.

Katniss opened the door cautiously; the stranger had laid Bow down and was petting him. "I tried to stop," he lamented. "It's so foggy and it was too late to stop completely."

"No, please don't feel bad," she tried to console him as she lifted the dog's head top look at him closely, Bow was clearly dead. Thankfully he was not bloody; he just looked like he was sleeping.

Really she felt like it was her fault; she should have gone looking for him when he hadn't scratched to door to be let in earlier. She had been paying bills and lost track of time. "He was sixteen, that's really old for a blue heeler. And he had heart problems…And going blind…." Katniss finally allowed some tears to fall although silently. "It was a matter of time anyways, at least it looks like he went fast."

"Yeah, I think it was instant," the stranger replied and ran his fingers through his wavy hair. "He never yelped or anything."

Katniss noticed lights in the drive way, Gale had arrived on his four-wheeler. He ran speedily to the house and asked, "Catnip, are you alright?"

"Gale, Bow's dead," she said sadly.

"Catnip, I'm so sorry." Gale hugged her tightly and kissed her head, and then he turned his attention to the blonde stranger and said just a little too harshly, "You the one who did it?"

"Gale, don't, Prim is asleep!" Katniss scolded him, "Bow probably wandered out to the road, and he could hardly see anymore. You know how he would wait in the drive way for Dad, he most likely lost his bearings and went out further than usual, and it's foggy."

Katniss nearly broke down then, thinking about how every night for the last eleven months the old, fat, salt and pepper coated dog had waited at the end of the drive way for hours on end for her dad to come home, just to never see him pull in. "Bow has finally found his master again."

"Can I help you bury him?" The blonde man offered he seemed so sincere. Katniss finally allowed herself to really look him in the face, there was something familiar about him.

"No, I'll do it in the morning," Gale told him. "Thanks for the offer, though. A lot of people would have just left him on the side of the road."

"I couldn't do that, I had to do the right thing and bring him home." Then the stranger did the oddest thing, he put out his hand to Katniss and she took it. "I'm so sorry."

Katniss managed to compose herself some; the warmth of the stranger's large hand seemed to calm her. "Please, it's alright, like I said he was really old." Then she pulled her hand away.

The stranger surprised her again by asking. "Can I put him somewhere for you? I see that there are toys in the yard, I would hate for a kid to have to see him like this."

"Um, yeah," Katniss looked to Gale. "Gale could you please show him to the shed, Prim won't see him there in the morning."

Gale and the stranger walked towards the shed, spoke for a few minutes, and then the stranger left. Gale came in and checked on her, "Poor guy."

"Yeah," Katniss said quietly. "But at least it saved me from having to have him put down. Dr. Jo said that I should be thinking about it. That would have been worse."

"I meant the nice guy who hit Bow," Gale told her. "He feels like shit. To bad too, that's the kind of guy you should be dating. You should have gotten his number. He looks a little on the soft side, but we could toughen him up."

"That's the start of a fairy tale romance," Katniss retorted. She thought about the stranger for a moment, he _was_ good looking. She thought,_ I could never date a guy like that anyways, he was way out of my league, he wouldn't go for a tomboy country girl._"Besides I told him that you were my husband and I have no time or interest in a relationship right now."

"Life has got to restart for you too, someday." Gale reminded her. "I'm pretty sure he knew you were lying, look at us Kat, a blind man could tell we're related. The Everdeen dark hair, tan skin, and grey eyes run strong, out of all of us cousins only Prim didn't get'em."

Katniss was quickly annoyed, "Don't you have cows to milk in the morning, and shouldn't you be going home and getting to bed?"

"Yeah, I love you too, Catnip. Call me if you want to talk." Gale waved to her, then suddenly stopped and asked. "Hey, did Dr. Jo happen to mention me?"

"No she didn't. Why don't you get it over with and ask her out?" Katniss asked him. Gale had the hots for the new vet, fresh out of Ohio State, Dr. Johanna Mason. "I'm sure that your mom and dad are getting tired of you calling the vet for minor things when Dr. Jo's on call."

"Hey I paid her to castrate the steers out of my own pocket," Gale defended himself.

"You've never had Dr. Boggs help you castrate before, you've always done that yourself." Katniss reminded him.

"Well, what can I say in my defense? Dr. Boggs doesn't look that good in powder blue coveralls and gum boots."

Katniss rolled her eyes, shook her head, and then dismissed him, ready to be alone. "Bye, Gale. Thanks for coming so quick."

"Anytime, Catnip," he waved then left.

Katniss locked the doors, stumbled to bed and then buried her head in the pillow, allowed herself to do something that she rarely ever did, and cried till there no more tears. She cried for Bow, then for Prim, and lastly she shed a few tears for herself. _Why did life have to be so unfair?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Katniss has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her composure, not knowing what is sadder, the fact their dog was dead or that Prim was four and already so accustomed to talking about death.

Prim, next does a very grown up thing, reaches over the small table and puts her hand on top of her sister's. "Don't worry Katniss the angel is going to take care of us. Mommy said that she would ask the angels to take special care of us."

"Primmy that wasn't an angel," Katniss explains gently. "That's was the man who accidentally hit Bow."

"Oh, okay," Prim says a little disappointedly. "But I think he is an angel too."

"Maybe, he was Prim." Katniss decides that it would be best to agree and not burst her bubble, at least not here anyways. What would be the likelihood of ever seeing him again? He was more than likely just someone passing through, she had never seen him before and this was a small town. She knows that if she had seen _him_ before she would have remembered.

They finish their snack and stand to leave, when Prim excitedly tugs on Katniss' shirt. "Katniss, Katniss!"

"What is it Prim?"

"Look, it's our angel!" Prim says brightly and points behind her sister. Katniss turns around to see the man who stood on her porch the night before leaning on the counter talking intently to Mr. Mellark. Quickly she grabs Prim and tries to leave unnoticed, but instead Prim calls out, "Bye angel!"

The young man and turn to look at the sisters. Katniss' eyes connect with the young man's for a brief moment, he waves a little with his mouth slightly open in surprise, Katniss could feel her face get bright red, and then she turns away and pulls Prim out the door.

"Katniss," Prim says a little annoyed. "I wanted to talk to the angel."

"Sorry Prim," Katniss tries to excuse her rude action. "We…we just really have to get home now."

Feeling a little guilty as they walk back to the store, and load up into her old red Silverado, Katniss tries to analyze her reaction. She really didn't understand her own behavior, she all of a sudden felt like she had to get out of there. For some strange reason the thought of having another run in with the stranger had shaken her, not because of him having had the bad luck to be the one to hit Bow. But, because of how he had made her feel when his hand touched hers, she was afraid of liking him, and she could not deal with _that_ right now.

**Thank you for reading my story, I hope you enjoyed it! If you did please review, reviews totally make my day and inspire me to write. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the long wait. Life has been super busy, and I'm hosting Thanksgiving for like 30 some people. In fact I should be cleaning house right now. ;)**

**Thanks to all of my reviewers, favorite-ers, and followers, especially you folks who leave me reviews, you really brighten my day. **

**Thank you to kismet4891, for being my wonderful beta. Thanks to her I sound a lot more literate than what I am.**

**Small World **

**Chapter 2**

It had been a week since poor, old Bow died. Katniss could not get the man, who Prim had called 'their angel' out of her mind, especially since she now knew his name.

After the unexpected run in with the blue eyed stranger at Mellark's, Katniss drove Prim home, and they buried Bow. Prim was very composed the whole time, she had insisted that it be like a real funeral. So Katniss and Prim took turns telling stories about the old dog. They laughed about how he used to steal socks from the laundry basket while they would fold clothes so they would pay attention to him. Together they remembered, how when he got old and really fat, it would take him several tries to hop into the truck. In the end, Bow was as wide as he was tall, _no wonder he had heart problems._ Finally, they said a prayer and then the covered him with dirt in the back yard. They cried a little too, but overall it went far better than Katniss had anticipated.

Katniss grilled hamburgers and sweet corn for dinner, while she was awful in the kitchen she could use a grill pretty well. Next they read some of Prim's favorite books, and after some begging she let Prim watch Spongebob before giving her a bath, reading another book, and putting her to bed.

When Katniss knew Prim asleep she sat herself down on the couch and mulled over the events of the day. The familiarity of the stranger had bugged her ever since she had run into him for the second time. Katniss was annoyed with herself for losing her cool and rushing out. She had seen him somewhere before. He resembled Mr. Mellark, she noticed when she saw them side by side at the bakery. Suddenly, she found herself digging in her closet for her old yearbooks, thankfully her mom had been sentimental and kept everything from Katniss's childhood.

Katniss decided to start from the beginning and pulled out her kindergarten yearbook. Sure enough, in a few moments she found the miniature version of the blue eyed man, with white blonde curls, dimpled cheeks, and a toothless smile…..Peeta Mellark. Oh God, she did know him, she could have kicked herself for not remembering. They went to school together, until the third grade when his parents went through a very messy divorce and he moved away with his mom, to Capitolville, she thought maybe, but she couldn't recall exactly. Katniss was not the type to keep tabs on people, if someone did not affect her everyday existence, she simply did not think about them.

_How could I ever forget that sweet little boy? _She thought as she recalled him being in her class, he was always kind to everyone from the nerds, farm kids, preppies and everyone in between. When they were little, Madge used to tell Katniss that he liked her, because he was always staring at her. Katniss always dismissed her, having no interest in boys other than being friends,at that point in time they were still icky. Then in second grade, on Valentine's Day they all exchanged cards like they did every year, except that year Katniss received a heart shaped cookie with an image of her name sake flower. Peeta always made heart shaped cookies for Valentines, but everyone else got their names written in sloppy letters on theirs. She knew katniss flowers were not exactly well known, he would have had to really to have looked for a picture to copy it off of. The cookie was too pretty to eat, so she kept it for three days before Bow must have sniffed it out, and got into her card box under her bed and ate the cookie.

Katniss thought about the little blonde haired boy, she never told anybody but she had a little crush on him, he was her first crush in fact. She blushed at the memory, and then remembered how upset she was when she found out that he had moved away the following fall. Then time progressed, life happened, and thoughts of the sweet little boy eventually faded away.

_So now the stranger has a name,_ she thought. It wasn't like it mattered, she mentally chided herself, the chances of running into him again were slim. Katniss had not seen the boy for nearly thirteen years. Peeta must be going to college somewhere, and been in the neighborhood visiting his dad before the fall term started.

The week passed by and Katniss was mulled over thoughts of getting a new puppy, she didn't like not having a dog. She missed the companionship, plus it was just one more safety precaution in her arsenal. But on the down side, she would have to house train it and get it fixed, it just seemed like a lot at the moment. Prim talked often about the angel, Katniss had tried to explain to her that the man had not been an angel, but a person. Prim, whom was typically easy to get along with, stubbornly insisted otherwise. Katniss got flustered enough to call, Dr. Aurelius who told her to let it go and Prim would eventually forget about it.

The store was swamped today, Haymitch and Beetee both have been busy with special orders, along with a flood of online orders from people getting ready for bow season. The fact that Katniss hadn't been able to concentrate all week, was not helping. Haymitch had volunteered to pick Prim up from school, he said he needed a break, he had been working an antique rifle that was giving him fits. He had been gone for a while, but that was pretty typical of Haymitch when he picked Prim up from school. He was either hitting on Miss Effie, or he had taken Prim for her afternoon snack. Katniss was bent over restocking the shot gun shells when she heard the cow bell on the front door ring, she called out absentmindedly, "Hi welcome to Everdeen's, how can I help you today?" Usually Katniss was more attentive with customers, but it had already been a long day and her mind was elsewhere.

"Um, actually I'm looking for Haymitch." A man's deep voice replied, from directly behind her.

Katniss looked up and turned around to find none other than Peeta Mellark standing there. She froze for a moment, _oh my god he's standing right here. _"I- um, Haymitch will be back shortly. Is there something I can help you with?"

He seemed to take her in for a moment, his mouth agape. "Oh, hi…Katniss right?"

"Yeah," she relayed a little shocked, _he must remember me too or more likely his dad told him my name, that's more likely. _

"It's Peeta Mellark," he said shyly. "I went to school with you when we were little….And I um, sorta killed your dog last week. Again, I'm sooo sorry about that."

"Yes, I remembered who you were after I saw you with your dad…The school, part I mean, not the dog part…Wow, that so did not sound right." Katniss was never good with words to begin with, and something about him made her feel even more self conscious.

"Here let's start again." Peeta said warmly and extended his hand, "Hi, I'm Peeta Mellark. My, you look familiar, did you go to Seamburg Elementary School?"

Peeta's do-over introduction instantly put her at ease, Katniss took his hand and shook it firmly, just the way her father taught her to and he surrounded her hand with both of his large ones, instantly she felt more at ease. "Why as a matter of fact, I did. My name is Katniss Everdeen, and I think that I do remember you. Mrs. Twill's class if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes, I believe that's right." He smiled and lets her hand go.

"So," Katniss attempted to start a conversation, which was not one of her strong suites. "Um, how's life?"

"Alright in general," he kind of laughed. "I'm living with my dad for a while, helping him out in the bakery and picking up some work on the side. In fact, that's what I'm here to see Haymitch for. He was in the shop for lunch and he and said something to me about maybe doing some art work here."

"Well that's news to me." Katniss said in a surprised tone, although she was a little annoyed, she had part interest in the business and liked being at least informed about any possible changes. Haymitch had said something about it a while back, but she thought that it was just an idea. Katniss could imagine some big tacky wolf mural that Haymitch would think was the cat's ass. Although, when looked around the shop even she could admit that it needs a face lift, new pictures would be nice for the website too.

"So, what about you and your life?" Peeta asked her, his voice sounded a little flat. "Did I hear right, when you said you had a husband the other night?"

Katniss cringed a little, knowing that she'd been caught in a lie. "You heard me right, but I was fibbing. I don't have a husband, I didn't know who was at my door, and I don't like strangers knowing that Prim and I live alone."

"Well, that explains the bat," Peeta laughed, Katniss smiled in return. "Oh, is Prim your daughter?" He asked innocently.

"No, no, no," Katniss found herself saying loudly, then she was a little embarrassed by her own reaction. "I mean, I don't have any kids." _Nor have I ever done anything to result in a kid,_ she thought. _What is wrong with me today? This is so not like me._ "She is my sister, I'm raising her."

Peeta looked at her for a second, a smile started to form when the door opened again and Prim burst through the door, leaving Haymitch behind her. She skipped towards her sister with a picture in hand.

"Hey little duck!" Katniss greeted her.

"Katniss, look at what I made today!" Prim called out, and then she sees saw Peeta. She suddenly stopped in her tracks, and looked at him with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in awe.

It was apparent Peeta didn't know what to make of Prim's staring, and Katniss didn't blame him. Peeta bent over a little, so he was closer to Prim's level and said in a very friendly tone. "Hi, there Prim. My name is Peeta."

Prim grinned from ear to ear, turned to Katniss and said with her voice full of wonder. "It's our angel."

Peeta turned to Katniss and cast her a slightly confused expression, she crinkled her nose and shook her head at him. Katniss was trying to decide how to best handle the awkward situation, although before she did Haymitch strode up to the three of them. "Well hey there you are boy, sorry I'm late." Haymitch apologized. "I was chatting up the preschool teacher and I lost track of time."

"That's alright I was catching up with Katniss." Peeta told Haymitch.

"Oh, you know my little ray of sunshine?" Haymitch asked sarcastically, and pinched Katniss's cheek playfully.

"We went to school together, for a while when we were little." Katniss told her uncle.

"Huh, small world," Haymitch said. "Hey Katniss, before I forget, Vick wanted to know if we wanted to donate something to the fun auction at the FFA hog roast. Also, I was thinking about donating the money for the hog."

"That would be fine, it's a good tax write off. Besides, hogs are ridiculously cheap right now." Katniss agreed.

During Katniss and Haymitch's exchange, Prim had never taken her eyes off of Peeta. Haymitch had just noticed how quiet she has been. "What's wrong little one? Usually you don't know a stranger. Cat got your tongue?" Haymitch teased Prim and picked her up, she was getting too big to be held, but Haymitch was indulgent with her.

Prim took a deep breath and pointed to Peeta. "Uncle Haymitch, this is my angel, he took Bow to heaven."

Haymitch had been told the angel story from both of the girls, he gave Katniss a look of understanding and mouthed the words 'that him?'. Katniss nodded and covered her eyes in embarrassment.

Once Prim opened her mouth it would not shut. She turned her full attention to Peeta and started to rattle off questions so quickly that it is hard to understand her. "How does Bow like it up there? Is he with, my mommy and daddy? Have you talked with them? How are they? Did they ask about me? I made them a picture do you want to see?"

Peet took it all in stride and answered the safest question, first. "I would love to see your picture."

Prim handed him the piece paper that she held in her hand. He looked it over a moment and smiled. "Well let's see what we have here, it looks like a picture of you and your sister. Is that right?"

Prim smiled wide, obviously happy that for once someone could decipher one of her drawings. "Yep! I want them to know that we're doing good! Will you take it to them?"

Katniss finally broke in, and said gently. "Prim, I hate to tell you this, but Peeta isn't an angel, he's a person just like us."

Prim slumped and looked to Peeta to confirm her belief, and not her sister's.

"Sorry, honey I'm a human being, not an angel." Peeta told Prim apologetically, and then he looked to Katniss and Haymitch for confirmation he had said the right thing. Haymitch gave him a sympathetic nod.

"Oh, okay," Prim sighed, disheartened.

"Hey, Primmy guess what's on right now?" Katniss asked Prim in an attempt to lift her mood. Prim shook her head. "Spongebob! Why don't you let me take you to the office and I'll turn it on for you. How does that sound?"

Prim was in the verge of tears, but nodded her head. Katniss took her from Haymitch's arms. "Uncle Haymitch, will you play with me later?" Prim asked.

"Of course, in just a little bit. I need to talk to Peeta here for a little while and then we'll play."

Katniss carried Prim into Haymitch's office, and a few minutes later she had her settled at her table with an apple and a glass of milk. Thankfully, Prim was not prone to sulking and recovered quickly. When Katniss reentered the store, she could see that Haymitch was giving Peeta a description of what he had in mind. "I was thinking a forest setting, a storm raging in the back ground with wild animals, wolves maybe."

_How predictable! _Katniss nearly laughed, "Please no tacky wolf and lightening murals, please!"

"It's not tacky!" Haymitch defended himself, and then he turned to Peeta and whispered. "Is it?"

"It's not tacky, just dated." Peeta diplomatically stated. "Let me do some brain storming and a few sketches and we'll see what we can come up with. I promise that we'll come up with something that everyone will like."

"Alright Peet, sounds good." Haymitch slapped him on the back. "You come highly recommended, by your dad, so I'll trust you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a play date."

Katniss had not expected to be left alone with Peeta again so soon, but she thought she owed him an explanation for Prim's behavior. "I'm sorry about Prim, she saw you on the porch last week and her imagination ran wild. You would have to understand the year we've had."

"Oh, it's alright, she's a little kid. I was just happy that she doesn't hate me, I literally killed her dog." Peeta told her. "May I ask what kind of year you've had?"

Katniss took a deep breath, usually she could stay composed, but something about the guy in front of her made her feel vulnerable, exposed, much more so than usual. There was something about the way he looked at her, it was like he could see past her tough facade. "Some time, maybe, but not today."

"Okay," Peetas said kindly, and then he pulled out his wallet, removed a business card, and held it out to Katniss. "Well, I need to get going. I promised my dad I'd help him this evening. Here is my card, I gave one to Haymitch. You can keep this one, if you want." His fingers lightly grazed hers, when she took the card from him. "I should have something ready to show you in a few days, but if you have any more ideas or you just want to chat, don't hesitate to call me."

"Um, okay," Katniss was slightly confused about what was going on between them. "Thanks."_I think. _

"I guess I'll see you later then." Peeta started to back down the aisle and stumbled into the shelves, knocking some gloves to the ground. "Shit, sorry, my bad." His face flushed beet red, and quickly puts them back and called back to Katniss. "Bye"

Katniss waved to him, trying to keep from laughing at him until he walked out the door. When she turned, she saw Haymitch peeking out his office door.

"Eavesdrop much?!" Katniss was annoyed at being spied on.

"Somebody likes you." Haymitch sang like an obnoxious kid.

"Shut up," Katniss whispered, so Prim wouldn't overhear her scolding Haymitch. "He's being nice, that's all. He does not _like_ me."

"Whatever sweetheart," Haymitch replied. "I'm a guy so I know, and believe me he was hitting on you like there was no tomorrow."

Katniss gave her uncle a scowl, as a warning to drop the subject, Haymitch chuckled. He loved to get on her nerves, but turned and returned to his office.

Katniss went back to her earlier task. _He certainly wasn't hitting on me, was he? _Katniss mulled over the idea, it was ridiculous to her. Suddenly she regretted being so naïve in terms of relationships. She had only one (crappy) boyfriend in high school, and she hadn't had a date in over two years. If a guy would hit on her she wouldn't know it, unless he blatantly told her so.

Katniss lets out an exasperated sigh, as she realized that she had stocked the wrong shells. If keeping her mind on the task at hand was hard before, it was ten times worse now. _Stupid Haymitch. _

**Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all of my reviews, favorite-ers, and followers. Sorry for the long wait for the update, they should come faster now, life has calmed down a bit.**

**Thanks to kismet4198, my awesome beta.**

**Small World**

**Chapter 3**

The cushions sank as Katniss flopped on the couch, it was the first chance she'd gotten to sit all day. It had been a crazy, long day at work and there was the whole Peeta' incident. Plus, Prim had absolutely worn her out tonight. She had wanted to play hide and go seek, at least their home was small and hiding places were hard to come by. Thankfully Aunt Hazelle had sent a ham and cheesy potato casserole over for dinner. How she would be able to function without the help of her extended family, Katniss didn't know.

Katniss shifted on the couch and something in her jean pocket poked her thigh, she pulled out the offending object. It was Peeta's card, for some reason she had carried it around ever since he gave it to her earlier in the day. She stared at the card for a while, not sure what she should do with it. _Did he really want me to call him just for the hell of it? Certainly not…I would just embarrass myself, I'm always awkward on the phone. It's all I can do keep a conversation going with Annie or Madge. _

Katniss pulled out her phone and her fingers hovered over the numbers, but she couldn't bring herself to push them and call him. Instead she found herself calling Madge, her only real girlfriend and maybe the only person that she was close with that she wasn't related to. Madge was at college and she hadn't spoken to her since the day after Bow had died.

The phone rang twice and then Katniss was greeted by, "Hey, chickie, how ya doin'?"

"Well, I'm here," Katniss replied. "Does that count for anything?"

"Still not sleeping, am I right?" Concern laced Madge's voice, evident over the line, despite being miles and miles apart.

"Is it that obvious?" Katniss sighed heavily into the phone.

"Honey, I can _hear_ the bags under your eyes getting bigger." Madge responded. "Not that you don't have any reasons to be stressed or tired, speaking of how's Primmy doing?"

"Good and you won't believe the story I've got to tell you," Katniss told her friend. "Do you remember Peeta Mellark?"

"That adorable little boy who was in love with you in elementary school, yes I do remember him. He was a big deal at Capitolville in high school. I heard that he had a full ride scholarship to some fancy school, and then dropped out after some big fight with his mom." Katniss was shocked, and a little thrilled that Madge had some inside information on the handsome baker. She didn't want Madge to know this though.

"How do you know all of that?" She paced her words slowly, trying to make out like she wasn't anxious for information about Peeta.

"Every now and then I talk to people who live outside of Seamburg," Madge giggled. "And his step-dad is a lawyer; he and my dad are acquaintances."

"Oh," Katniss said in understanding. That made sense, Madge's dad was the only lawyer in Seamburg, the Panem County courthouse was in Capitolville.

"But, what does Peeta have to do with Prim?" Madge inquired.

"I didn't know it at the time, but he was the one who hit Bow." Katniss answered and then related the whole tale from the embarrassing meeting in the sandwich shop, to awkward situation in the gun shop when Prim insisted that Peeta was her angel, and finally to the part where Peeta gave her his card and Haymitch said that she had been hit on.

"Wow!" was Madge's response to the story. "So, did he grow up to be good looking? He looked liked one of those boys who would be hot someday, his picture used to be in the paper for sports and stuff."

"He's good looking, I think…But you know me I don't go around calling guys hot." Even though Madge couldn't see her, Katniss's cheeks blushed as she thought about Peeta. She definitely thought he was hot.

"Yes I know, you spend all day talking to guys about white tails but you wouldn't know when one was trying to get a piece of _your_ tail." Madge's voice belied how tickled she was at the joke that she had made.

"I am not that oblivious!" Katniss defended herself.

"Bull crap!" Madge laughed. "I've seen guys hit on you left and right and you have no clue. I hate to say it, but I think Haymitch was right…So, are you going to call him? Do you like him?"

"I don't know." Katniss confessed begrudgingly. She pictured his perfectly beautiful blue eyes and his warm smile. Yes, she did like him, although she would deny it as long as she could.

"Would you let him punch your V card?"

"Madge!" Katniss gasped. "I can't believe that you asked me that!"

"It's got to happen sometime, being a virgin at twenty-one isn't as cute as it was at seventeen." Madge jokingly told her.

"Sorry," Katniss retorted, "I didn't want to hand it over to the first guy who told me that he loved me just to get into my pants."

"Oh, poor Marvel," Madge reminisced, "Because of you he suffered from blue balls. Lucky for him someone like Delly Cartwright was willing to service him while he was dating you."

"No lucky me, because of her trampiness I found out about what a sleaze ball he was before we got too serious." Katniss reminded her friend. "I don't want to go through that kind of drama again…I've already got enough drama as it is."

"Katniss, not every man is like Marvel. You know that." Madge's tone was serious. "You must like this guy, judging by the fact that you've even noticed him and you called me to talk about it then you have to be a little interested in Peeta. Just call him, who knows he could be exactly what you need."

"I don't know…" Katniss sighed. "I don't have time for a relationship right now."

"Katniss," Madge reasoned with her friend, "you're going to be busy with Prim for at least the next fourteen years. Your parents wouldn't have left her with you if they thought that you would ignore your personal life in order to raise her. What would it do to Prim if someday she thinks that you sacrificed your life in order to raise her? Call him, don't call him it's up to you, but please don't let life pass you by. That isn't fair to Prim either."

"My life isn't passing me by," Katniss defended herself, poorly, knowing that Madge was at least partially right.

"Uh, huh, I hear you." Katniss knew that Madge was rolling her eyes on the other end of the line. "If nothing else please think about it, please for me."

"Alright I'll think about it." She acquiesced.

"Oh, and FYI, post 'satisfying sex sleep' is the best. If nothing else let him get you off a few times in one night and I promise you, you'll sleep like a baby. It relieves stress like nothing else!" Madge said half seriously. "Sometimes I think that the only reason that I keep Darius around is because of his awesome oral skills."

Somewhere in the back ground Katniss can hear a man's voice say, "Hey, I heard that!"

Madge giggled, and told her boyfriend, "Sorry baby, take it as a compliment."

"Oh, my God, Madge! Too much info!" Katniss squeals, and tried to block that mental image.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A couple of days later, Katniss was drinking coffee loaded with cream and sugar, despite hating coffee, it was the most effective caffeine source that she knew of. She was on her morning break, hiding in Haymitch's empty office and trying to recover from another sleepless night. When bed time came her mind simply could not turn her mind off at night, thoughts of her parents and concerns for Prim's future consumed her. Sometimes she could find some relief when Prim snuggled into bed with her, but that was not often and she didn't like to use Prim as a crutch.

_Am I cheating Prim by denying myself a personal life? No, look at what a mess I am just thinking about a personal life, I can't even call him on the phone, I freeze up like a tweener with a crush. _Katniss had tried to call Peeta a couple of times, but could never bring herself to push the call button. _He was just being friendly, that's all it was._

Her conversation with Madge had not been helping either, when she closed her eyes she saw Peeta's face. She imagined what it would feel like to be held in his strong arms, and wondered what his lips would feel like against hers. She thought of other things too, but didn't want to ponder those things while at work. _It's not going to happen, so don't even think about it._

Her moment of reflection was disrupted when the clang of the cow bell against the door brought her back to the here and now, signaling that someone had entered the store. Katniss chugged what remained of her cup and entered the store front, much to her surprise it was Peeta, with a messenger bag hanging from his shoulder and a smile on his face. _Pull it together Katniss, he's just a guy, you speak to men all of the time, why should he be any different? Just be yourself._

"Hi how are you today?" he asked happily.

"Good," She replied, "and you?"

"Alright," he said and lifted up his bag, "I brought some sketches for you and Haymitch to look at."

"Oh, good, you have an excuse to carry a man purse," Katniss dead panned, hoping that he would get her dry humor, "I was afraid that it was simply a fashion statement."

Peeta grinned and retorted, "It's not a purse, it's a satchel!"

"Good one Allen," Katniss chuckled.

"Wow! most chicks don't know a quote from The Hangover, when they hear one." Peeta said impressed.

"What can I say? I have three boy cousins and I mostly hung out with guys in high school. My dad and I would watch stupid movies together when my mom worked nights. So I can quote most every Will Ferrell movie, believe me my mother was so proud." Katniss said sarcastically. She didn't know what it was about him that she found it so easy to converse with him, she was even bringing up her parents, something she rarely ever did.

"That is quiet the accomplishment though, Talladega Nights changed my life," Peeta praised her half seriously. "If I ever have sons I'm thinking very seriously about naming them Walker and Texas Ranger, or TR for short. And if they look like they'll grow up to be wussies I'll name the Dr. Quinn and Medicine Woman."

"Good choices," Katniss agreed in jest.

"Hey, it would be better than_ Peeta, _I don't know how many times I caught shit for that."

"Oh, well _Katniss_ wasn't much better. By about fifth grade everyone figured out that it sounded like 'cat piss'. That was fun!" As she said this, she rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "What were our parents thinking?"

"I don't know about yours, but my mom didn't really care because I wasn't a girl, and my dad thought that he was being really clever." His statement took Katniss a bit off guard, he was still smiling while he said it, but the words he spoke were rather sad for such a nonchalant tone.

She wasn't sure how to follow up Peet's admission, so she answered honestly too,"I'm sure that my parents thought they were doing me a favor by giving me a unique name. Although, there were days I would have loved to have been named something like Brittany or Ashley."

"No, your parents were right, your name suites you. You're a one of a kind woman; you needed a one of a kind name." Peeta's tone was undeniably sweet, it was the most sincere thing that had been said throughout the duration of their conversation.

"Thanks?" Kaniss nearly whispered and she felt her cheeks get hot. She avoided his gaze and looked at his shoes and noticed they were well worn work boots, not what she imagined him in. She looked up and decided to change the subject. "So, you said that you brought some sketches. Why don't you come to the office and I'll get Haymitch?"

A few minutes later they were sitting in the office with Haymitch looking at Peeta thumbnails. Katniss couldn't get over how talented Peeta was; his drawings looked so life like.

"So, I was thinking about each wall depicting a season, with animals throughout, I would like everything to look as real as possible." Peeta explained. "I know it's hard to imagine on these small pictures, but I can promise it will look better on the walls."

"Oh, I trust you. So do whatever you think is best, I like your work. Your dad is always showing me your stuff," Haymitch told him. "Don't you agree Katniss?"

"Yeah," she replied, having been caught off guard, looking at pictures of other murals that Peeta had worked on. "You're amazing."

"Thanks," Peeta said humbly. "So when would like me to start?"

"Anytime is good with us, I think."

"I'm free tonight," Peeta volunteered. "I could start on one wall, that way I only disturb so much of the store at one time. I can work at night and on the weekends so I don't get in your way…"

"Oh, you'll be fine," Haymitch interjected. "Why don't you work throughout the day, it would draw interest from passerbys. Not to mention, I would hate to keep you from your social life and seeing your girlfriend."

Katniss shot Haymitch daggers; he ignored her and kept his eye contact with Peeta.

"Well, that one you don't have to worry about that," Peeta admitted willingly. "I'm not seeing anybody at the moment."

"Did you hear that Katniss?" Haymitch stated in false surprise, as he finally turned his attention to her, and pretended not to notice her scowl. "Peeta here is single, just like you, imagine that."

Katniss wanted to curl into a ball and hide, she was so embarrassed. Peeta gave her a shy smile, but didn't look like he was bothered by Haymitch's comments.

"Huh," she tried hard to not sound mad, for Peeta's sake, "what a coincidence?" Katniss was really annoyed, she knew as long as Peeta was working on the mural that they would be tormented by Haymitch and his not so subtle hints that they should go on a date.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX

Peeta helped his dad in the mornings, leaving his afternoons to work on the mural. The first day was pretty uneventful, Katniss and Beetee helped him move some shelves and Peeta primed the walls. Katniss was busy with her own work, so she had an excuse to keep to herself. Sometimes she would look his way, out of curiosity, only to happen to catch his eye. _Was he looking at me too?_ She pushed the thought away, _certainly not_. When Haymitch brought Prim back from school, Peeta surprised her with a cup cake that his dad had sent with him especially for her. Katniss could tell that Peeta was eager to be her friend. In typical Prim fashion, she instantly had him wrapped around her finger and Peeta was on her 'buddy' list.

On the second day Peeta brought lunch in a Mellark's sack, he put it on Katniss's counter and pulled out two sandwiches, two bottles of root beer, and two bags of chips.

"Someone hungry?" Katniss teased him.

"Well I was hoping you were," Peeta smiled, "Haymitch said that you rarely take lunch, so I thought that I'd bring lunch to you. I hope you like ruebens, they're my favorite."

"Um, I like them." She lied, she loved them, but she didn't want to look like a one of those girls who always agreed with a good looking guy. "But, you really didn't have to do that, I can fend for myself." Katniss winced when she heard the words leave her lips, the remark was biting and that was not her intention.

"I know. I didn't do it because I thought that you couldn't get your own lunch," Peeta's response was cool as he held the sandwich out to her. "I did it because you probably wouldn't do it. There is a difference."

Katniss hesitated a moment and searched his eyes, for a moment she thought that he was mocking her, but he seemed sincere. The aroma of the roast beef and sauerkraut was making her mouth water, she was hungrier than she had thought. She reached out and took the sandwich and thanked him, trying to sound sweeter this time.

"You're more than welcome." He smiled and looked pleased with himself. Peeta leaned on the counter and they started to eat.

At her first bite Katniss let out a small moan of surprise. "Ummm, that is so good!"

"You like it?" Peeta asked with a grin.

"Yes," Katniss smiled and rolled her eyes, "did you make it?"

"Yeah," Peeta confessed.

"You're a man of many talents, Mellark." Katniss complimented him. Then what she asked next even surprised her, but it was something that had been on her mind ever since her conversation with Madge. "So, what are you doing in Seamburg? Why aren't you in school or doing art in the big city?"

Peeta's eyes went wide at the unexpected question. "Well you don't beat around the bush do you?" He chuckled.

"I find directness to be the best means to an end," Katniss told him. "Besides, I'm not very good with the whole conversation thing. I'm a bit socially awkward."

"You deal with costumers all day. Haymitch said that you're great at your job."

Katniss felt a little annoyed with thought of people talking about her, but she knew that it was meant as a compliment. "Customer service is easy, just follow the script. Plus, most everyone I deal with speaks my language, hunting and outdoors living. I get asked about anything else, I'm clueless."

A few moments of silence passed as they ate, "I missed it here," he announced as he looked out the window. Katniss realized that he was answering her earlier question. "I went to an Ivy League university for a year. My mom was hell bent on me being a lawyer or something _impressive_ like that. I hated it, I had no desire to wear a suit and tie or work in an office. I didn't want to be just a piece in her game, and live my life solely to impress her and my step-dad. I'd done that for years and it was never enough for them and I was never happy. I was tired of living up to everyone else's expectations. So I quit, and then I got a business degree at a two year college in Columbus and I created art on the side. When I was done, Dad offered for me to move in. I think that he wanted to make up for lost time when I was a kid, my mom kept us boys so busy that it was really difficult for him to spend time with us. I guess that I wanted another try at this kind of life." He finally turned his head her way and looked her in the eye, "Kind of silly, I know, most people want to run away from their small hometowns the first chance they get. I just wanted to come back. Does that make me strange?"

Katniss weighed the question for a moment and then she responded. "No, you're not strange, or if you are then I am too. I love my small town life. I don't see why anybody would want to leave. Cities give me a headache and I'd rather live in a shanty than spend an hour in suburbia hell."

"Suburbia hell?!" Peeta chuckled.

"Yeah, that's my nightmare," Katniss jokingly replied, "to be just one of the 'sheeple', herding in their cars, back and forth to some office job. I don't blame you for not wanting that life."

"Thanks, I'm glad that someone understands…My ex girlfriend thought that I was insane."

The phone rang, and Katniss was reminded that she was at work. "You're not…I'd better get that."

"Yeah, I'd better get back to work too," Peeta gathered the empty bags and wrappers as he spoke, "I could have talked to you all day."

Katniss didn't know how to respond, so she flashed him a quick smile and then turned her attention to the phone. The rest of the afternoon passed in relative quiet, she took several calls, helped a few walk in customers, and worked on some online orders. Every now and then, Katniss would find herself distracted watching Peeta sketch in the start of the mural.

About four o'clock, Katniss was working at the counter, Haymitch had gone to pick up Prim, and there was a commotion at the door, Katniss knew who it was without even looking…the Hawthorne boys, Gale, Rory, and Vick. Gale was closer to Katniss's age, while the younger boys were still in high school. _This was going to be good,_ Katniss thought.

"Oh, no it's a Hawthorne invasion!" Katniss called out.

"Hey Catnip! I brought Vick to pick up the Fun auction stuff." Gale hollered as soon as he opened the door and then he looked around and saw Peeta working on the wall. "Oh, hi, how you doing?"

Peeta turned and greeted Gale. "Hi, nice to see you again… sorry I forgot your name."

"It's Gale," he said and shook Peeta's hand. "These are my little brothers Rory and Vick…We're all Katniss's cousins by the way." Gale winked at Katniss as she approached the group and then he turned his head to his bothers and said, "Boys this is Peeta."

Peeta reached out to shake the boys' hands and Rory asked, "Oh, this is the dog killer?"

Katniss and Gale both hit Rory at the same time, Katniss punched his arm and Gale slapped his head. Neither one hit him hard enough to really hurt him, just enough to sting. "Oww, sorry."

"It's okay." Peeta laughed.

"Come on Vick," Katniss pulled her younger cousin away, "I've got your stuff in back." She and Vick were gone for a few minutes when they returned Haymitch had joined the group with Prim on his shoulders, everyone was talking animatedly. It was pretty obvious that Gale was telling Peeta about some embarrassing story. _This keeps getting better and better._

"Hey Katniss," Rory asked. "Do you have your tickets for tomorrow night? I've got some to sell yet. Six bucks a piece or two for ten."

"No, I don't," Katniss fished in her pocket for some cash, she pulled out a ten and handed it to her cousin. "For Prim and I."

"Under five is free." Rory told her.

"Okay, Haymitch, do you need a ticket?" Katniss looked to her uncle.

"Uh, no actually," Haymitch admitted quietly. "I already got tickets."

"Oh good, Rory give me my money back. Haymitch bought ours."

"No refunds," Rory said teasingly, "all sales are finale."

"I didn't get one for you," Haymitch confessed. "Sorry sweetheart."

Katniss cocked an eyebrow. "Well, who did you get one for?"

Prim smiled and proudly spoke up, "He's taking Miss Effie! He asked her if she wanted to roll in the hay with him."

Katniss glared at Haymitch and was about to unload on him.

"No," Haymitch quickly defended himself. "I asked her if she wanted to go to a hay ride with me."

The three Hawthornes let out a collective 'Ohhh' and laughed. Gale chuckled, "She finally gave in? Did you have to bribe her?"

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Shut up you twits!"

"Yeah, shut up!" Prim mimicked.

"Prim, that's not nice," Katniss reminded her little sister, and gave Haymitch and her cousins a scolding look.

"Sorry." Prim apologized. "Hey, Katniss, why can't Peeta come with us?"

Katniss was at a loss for words and she knew that she probably looked like a deer in the headlights. _How do I respond? I don't want to put him on the spot._ "Oh, no he probably has better things to do."

"Katniss, I'm sure Peeta would love to go." Gale gave her a seemingly innocent look and then looked to Peeta. "It would be a good way to meet with the people around here, make connections. The food is really good it's a hog roast, there's a big bonfire, an auction, and a hay ride. It's the National FFA Convention fund raiser."

Katniss hated this whole ordeal. She was embarrassed not only for herself, but for Peeta. Her family was pushing them into dating._ He certainly wouldn't go for this_.

"Yeah, that would be great! I want to get reacquainted with the area." Peeta said with a smile, not at all looking annoyed, in fact he looked genuinely pleased, "What time should I pick you up?"

"I, um.." Katniss had all eyes on her, Prim looked so excited and her uncle and cousins looked at her expectedly.

"It starts at seven," Gale spoke up with an ornery grin on his face, "but everyone comes a little late."

"So, pick you up at seven then?" Peeta asked her.

"Y-yeah," Katniss stuttered. "That would be fine."

"Great," Peeta gave her a wide smile, "I can't wait. I haven't been to a hayride in years."

Katniss was grateful to hear the door open, a customer walked through the door and the little party was broken up. The Hawthorne boys had to go do chores, Haymitch took Prim to the office, Peeta went back to his mural, and Katniss returned to the register.

After she checking out the customer, Katniss happened to catch herself staring at Peeta, he was working with huge grin on his face. Maybe she was wrong about this whole situation, maybe Peeta really did want to date her, he seemed happy enough about it. Finally, Katniss sighed and resigned herself to fact that coerced or not she was going to be on a date with Peeta Mellark tomorrow night.

**Thanks for reading, I know it's just a filler chapter, I promise some real fun in the next one. Remember reviews make a writer happy.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you everyone who has reviewed, favorite, and followed this story! You guys brighten my day!**

**Many thanks to my beta kismet4891! To those of you who have not read 'Linger' yet, go do it right away, well after you read this chapter. Wink, wink**

**Small World**

**Chapter 4**

Katniss's phone buzzed letting her know that she'd received a text. Peeta was coming to pick her and Prim up in a little while. She thought she'd better check her phone, maybe he had changed his mind. _If he was smart he would_. But when she opened her messages, she had a new text from Madge.

Madge: what are you wearing on your date tonight? don't you dare say a baggy hoodie and hunting boots

Kantiss cringed and looked down at her outfit, that's was exactly what she had on. She replied: OK, I won't say… hey how did you know about the date?

Madge: gale called me

Katniss gritted her teeth and typed: gale is an asshole… you know I hate to be talked about…

Madge: I know, but we love you so we're allowed to, get over it

Katniss rolled her eyes and sighed before replying: I love you too, some days.

Katniss tried to down play the situation and quickly sent another message: it's not a real date, we were coerced and Prim is going with us

Madge: whatever! you should wear your plum sweater, fatbaby boots, and those dark wash jeans…and please, please, please wear your hair down!

Exasperated she replied: it's a hayride, not a fancy date

Madge: I know, thus the cowboy boots, a date I would suggest heels, trust me you'll look causal, but put together

After a moment of contemplation, Katniss decided that she would trust Madge's opinion and dug out her brown and green leather cowboy boots with blue stitching. She hadn't been on a date since before she quit college to take care of her family, and that was almost two years ago. She typed: OK, thanks, have to get ready now

Madge: go get'em tiger!

Katniss took Madge's advice, and changed her clothes. She examined her reflection; in this outfit her curves were evident, she looked like a woman, not a long haired, thirteen year old boy. Even though she hated to admit it, Madge was right, this was much better.

Prim found Katniss brushing her hair, she smiled wide, and inquired, "Are you going to put on makeup?"

Katniss laughed, "Do I need it, Little Duck?"

"It will make you even prettier." Prim told her sister sincerely.

Katniss had to fight back a tear, it sounded like something her mother would have told her. 'A little mascara and blush go a long way', Katniss could practically hear her mother's voice say. Katniss looked at the mirror and recalled all of the times her mother would drag her in this very bathroom and convince her to put on was just one of the little things she missed about her 'before' life. Suddenly, she missed her mom more than she had in a while.

_My God, has she really been gone seven months now?_ In some ways it felt like she had been gone longer, she really died the same time her husband did- her body just hadn't gotten the memo until the cancer spread to her vital organs. Katniss missed her mom, the old one that had existed before the night her father died, before her headaches started and they found out that she had inoperable cancer. She had spent the last few months of her mother's life being frustrated with her, because she had just given up and left Katniss with the task of raising alone Prim, before she was ready to.

The original prognosis said that she might live another five years, _she could have seen Prim go to kindergarten, _but she given up on life after her husband's death. Katniss had wanted her to at least try to be a mom for a little while longer, because she and Prim needed her. Yet, her mother never did try, she spent the next few months laying around, rarely speaking, hardly eating, and waiting for death although her body was still able function. Katniss was forced to take care of both her mom, and Prim, like they were both little children.

One morning Katniss had gone into her mother's room to wake her, but she would not rouse. She was dead. The official cause of death was cancer, but Katniss knew it was a broken heart. Katniss could never bring herself to cry for her mother like she had for her father. His death had been instant, he had swerved to miss an oncoming car and his car slammed into a telephone pole, dead on impact; he never had a chance. She was mad at her mom, her father didn't have a choice in dying, her mom did. Anger was the emotion that she now associated with her mom, rarely did she allow herself to really miss her or remember how she loved her.

Right now Katniss wanted nothing more than to ask her mom's advice about Peeta, or just life in general, even though on many levels she and her mom were polar opposites. Lily Everdeen had been a truly beautiful woman; she was petite, gorgeous,blue eyed,and blonde. It was like Grace Kelly somehow got stuck in small town Ohio. While the grey eyed, dark haired Katniss had always been a tom boy. She was solidly built, her arms were toned, and she had biceps that would a lot of men to shame -all thanks to years of hunting, and helping on her aunt and uncle's dairy. In addition to their physical appearances, there were the glaring personality differences. Katniss could be prickly, stubborn, and overly serious; her mother once had been happy, pleasant and level headed.

Katniss lamented, Prim was the type of daughter that her mother deserved and wanted. Prim was a girly girl, she loved dolls, the color pink, and fairy tales. Whereas Katniss had been her father's pride and joy, although he was thrilled to have a mini version of his beloved wife. Prim was so wanted by her parents, they had always wanted a large family but were never able to conceive again Katniss until sixteen years later. Sometimes Katniss would get upset with God for taking her parents awayright after they had just seemed to get everything that they ever wanted, another child, the business was starting to thrive, and her mom was able to quit her nursing job to take care of Prim. She felt bad, not so much from herself, but for Prim. Her mom would never get to braid Prim's hair for her first day of school, or to do her makeup for prom like she had for her eldest daughter. Her dad would not get to scare her dates by cleaning his gun on the front porch, or showing them his archery collection.

Katniss smirkedas she remembered Marvel's first visit to the house, her dad was sharpening his biggest hunting knife while he told Marvel that he wanted her home by 11:30. Marvel's face was white and he had her home by 11:15, although he would never fess up to it, her dad scared him shitless. The urge to break down nearly overwhelmed her, this happened from time to time, but Prim was standing there with a happy expression, unaware of what was going through her sister's head. _Prim needs you to be strong, Peeta's coming over in a few minutes, and this is no time to fall apart!_

Katniss took a deep breath and put on her best face and asked, "You want to help me pick out a color of eye shadow?"

"Pink!" Prim exclaimed, and then watched intently as Katniss put on a fine layer of shimmery powder on her eyelids. "Now me!"

"No, my little duck," Katniss said cheerfully yet firmly. "Not for another ten years or so."

"Pretty please?" Prim gave her most charming grin.

"No, but you can wear your sparkly lip smackers," Katniss proposed a compromise and pulled out a tube of tinted lip balm. "Deal?"

"Deal!" Prim beamed, took the tube, and slathered a generous amount to her own lips. Then they picked out Prim's clothes and got her ready.

There was a knock at the door, causing Katniss to jump, she still had not gotten used to having someone at the door, without hearing Bow bark his head off before they even got out of their car. _I miss that fat old dog._

Prim ran to the door and opened it before Katniss reached it, and gleefully said, "Hi Peeta!"

"Hey there, Prim," he greeted her while standing on the porch, wearing a blue plaid button up with jeans. Katniss was now happy she had changed, she would have been way underdressed compared to him. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, come on in," Katniss invited. "We're just about ready. I just have to get a coat for Prim in case it gets chilly later. I have to dig it out of her closet, so hang on a minute, and then we can go."

"Great," Peeta answers and then looks around. "Nice house."

"Oh, thank you." Katniss replied.

"Peeta, do you want to see my Bitty Baby, her name is Suzanne?" Prim asked excitedly.

By the look on Peeta's face Katniss could tell he had no clue what Prim was talking about, but he cheerfully agreed. Prim took him by the hand and took him to the corner of the living room where her toy box stood. A few moments later Katniss returned with Prim's coat in hand and she found Prim sitting with Peeta on the couch with a baby doll and Prim was explaining why Bitty Babies were the best baby dolls ever. Katniss had to bite her tongue to keep laughing at the scene, Peeta was pretending to be incredibly interested, and it was priceless.

"Aunt Hazelle and Uncle Galen said that an American Girl Store is coming to Columbus and that they are going to take me and Posy there, so we can see all of the stuff and then I can tell Santa what I want for Christmas!" Prim shared with Peeta.

"Come on guys lets go," Katniss called. Peeta and Prim got off the couch and they all walked out the saw the older model,orange Ford Ranger setting in the drive way and she realized something. "We're never going to fit in there with Prim's booster seat."

"Oh, I didn't think about that, sorry." Peeta apologized. "I didn't know that she still had to be in a seat."

"Yeah, I know, they have to be both over four and forty pounds, as small as Prim is that will be a while yet. That's okay, I'll drive. I hate moving her seat anyway." Katniss dismissed his concern. Katniss loaded Prim in her car seat on the passenger side of her old Silverado, and as they walked over to the driver side Katniss told Peeta. "Looks like you get to sit in the 'bitch' seat."

"Bitch seat?" Peeta asked quietly so Prim wouldn't hear.

"Yeah," Katniss opened the door and pointed inside, "the middle."

"Oh," Peeta laughed and climbed in.

Katniss hopped in beside him and went to adjust the bench seat, to where she could drive comfortably. She tried to scoot the seat up but then realized that Peeta's knees were hitting the dash board. Peeta looked up to her and said, "I think that this is as far as it will go."

"Oh, okay. I guess I can make this work." Katniss giggled and then reached to put the old standard truck in reverse so they could be on their way.

"KATNISS!" Prim cried out. "You're going to whack him in the peanuts!"

Katniss looked down, and yes her hand was dangerously close to Peeta's junk and would have surely connected with it if had put the truck in gear. Peeta, to his credit, was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing. Katniss knew that her face had to be beet red. They made eye contact for a brief second and they both started laughing. Prim was giggling too, but she didn't understand why, she was going along with whatever big sister was doing.

Katniss laughed until her eyes watered, she breathed deeply in order to collect herself. "Peeta, would you like to drive?"

"Sure," Peeta said as the last of his chuckles died down.

Katniss was struck by how light his presence made her feel, she was in near tears just a little while ago and here she was laughing until she cried.

They got out of the truck and switched keep everyone entertained with her rendition of Little Big Town's 'Pontoon', as the real song played on the radio. The drive was mercifully short, their destination was on the other side of town, the hayride was being held at Katniss's old Ag teacher's house. Mr. Heavensbee had been the Ag teacher at Seamburg High School for twenty five years, he had been her dad's teacher too, along with the rest of the Everdeen and Hawthorne clans.

They arrived and the place was already packed with pickup trucks, party goers, and high schoolers with their families. Katniss found her way to the pole barn where the food was being served, she was stopped several times along the way by people she knew. Prim happily made a game of holding one of Katniss's hands along with one of Peeta's and then dangles between them. She begged for them to swing her high up, to which they complied to several times.

One of the people she spoke with was her cousin, Annie Cresta. She was technically Katniss's second cousin, as their mothers were first cousins and very good friends. But deep down inside, Katniss had always felt that Annie was more like a big sister, she was three years older but always allowed Katniss to tag along. Annie had been blessed with the 'beauty' gene that Katniss felt had skipped her. Annie was tall and slender with masses of wavy, chocolate brown hair, and brilliant green eyes. When things got really bad with her mom Annie was always there to help out, she was a nursing student at the time and was willing to help do the things Katniss hated to do, like bathing. Annie would sit with her mother while Katniss took Prim out to do something fun, she would also watch Prim while Katniss took her mom to the doctor, and share a six pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade and listen to Katniss vent.

"Katniss, Primmy!" Annie called and captured her shorter cousin in a hug, before bending over to embrace and kiss Prim. "I was starting to wonder when you guys were going to show up." Annie seemed to finally notice the man standing with them. "Well, this must be Peter?"

"Actually, my name is Peeta." Peeta corrected her politely and extended his hand to Annie. "Peeta Mellark."

"Oh," Annie said and she made an expression of recognition, she then asked. "Did you happen to go to Capitolville? I swear I've heard your name somewhere else be-."

"Ehhhh!" Prim's scream stopped the conversation.

Katniss's stomach dropped as realized that she didn't know exactly where she was. Katniss turned to locate her little sister, who had been standing right there but was now gone, fear gripped her.

"Finny put me down, you're making me dizzy." Prim giggled. Then she saw Prim being swirled around by a tall, unbelievably good looking man, Annie's fiancé, FinnickOdair. Relief flooded her and she took a deep breath, Peeta had put a hand on her shoulder, gave her a squeeze, and a quick concerned look, she nodded slightly then she glanced around her to see if anyone else had noticed her frightened moment. No one had, thankfully.

"Finnick, if you make her puke, you're cleaning it up!" Katniss warned him after composing herself.

"Prim, your sister is a stick in the mud! You'd think she at least pretend to be nice since she had a boy here with her." Finnick jested and then he looked to where the adults stood and asked mystified. "Lil' Mellark, is that you?"

"Odair? Hey good to see you," Peeta said cheerfully and smacked Finnick on the back. "How long has it been? Five years?"

Katniss had forgotten that Finnick went to school in Capitolville. He was one of the few farm kids there, he and Annie met at the county fair a few years ago, she was sixteen, he was nineteen, but her parents wouldn't allow them to date, because he had bit of a reputation as a ladies' man. Although Finnick was smitten, and he patiently waited until she was eighteen before he asked to date her again. They have been together ever since, he asked her to marry him when she graduated from nursing school last spring. He would have asked sooner, but waiting was another request from her parents.

"Yeah, it's been a long time." Finnick stated and turned to Annie. "Peeta's oldest brother and I were good friends in high school. Sometimes we would let the little guy here tag along with us when we went four wheeling." Finnick turned back to Peeta. "How's Mitchell doing? I've not talked to him in a while now."

"Good, he's got a job in Cincinnati. He's been out of the army for a couple of years now, he got married last year, and their expecting a baby soon."

"How about your step-brother?"Finnick asked his voice much more monotone.

"He's Cato, not much has changed. He's still a big ol' _Richard,_ if you catch my drift." Peeta said indifferently and shrugged his shoulders.

_Oh, he meant dick! _Katniss had to think about it for a moment. _There must be a story there,_ Katniss thought judging by the tone of Peeta's voice. She had to admit that she didn't know much about Peeta, but what little tidbits that she know only made her more curious.

"I see you've met Annie," Finnick said with a proud smile and pulled his fiancée close. "We're getting married in December."

"Well congratulations, that's great!" Peeta said happily. "So, what are you doing these days?"

"I'm an auctioneer," Finnick informed him. "CeaserFlickermen is retiring soon, so I'll be taking over his business."

"Wow, so now you're an official fast talker," Peeta joked.

"I guess so," Finnick concurred. "Hey, Peeta, I've got to get ready for the auction, we'll get caught up later. Okay?"

"Great, I'll be hanging out with Katniss." Peeta told him.

"Careful doing that," Finnick said half seriously and wrapped his arm around her shoulders,"she's been known to bite."

"Easy, there Pretty Boy," Katniss warned.

Everyone laughed and headed to the barn to eat. Peeta was introduced to several others of Katniss and Prim's relatives and friends. He was charming, friendly, and made a good impression on everyone he met. Aunt Hazelle and Uncle Galen were quick to invite him to their farm, her youngest Hawthorne cousin, Posy, wanted him to come meet her 4-H heifer, Bumble Bee. Katniss was slightly annoyed with her family, _it's a bit too early to be welcoming him in, and he is at best, just my acquaintance. _

Eventually they came across Haymitch and Effie, she was chattering about her class. Katniss was shocked to see Haymitch appearing to be listening intently and then she saw his eyes drift down to Effie's boobs momentarily before lifting his eyes back up to her face. _And everyone wonders why he's still single? _

Haymitch was pushing forty and hadn't had a serious relationship in years, he was all but left at the altar by his high school sweetheart, when Katniss was little. He was messed up for a long time, Katniss could remember several times her dad had to go pick a drunken Haymitch up and on a couple of occasions bail him out of jail after a bar fight. Over the years he had straightened up, but was still kind of wild, it was only after the death of his beloved older brother that he finally able to pull his act together. He was a totally different type of uncle for Prim than he had been for Katniss and the Hawthorne kids.

Gale came fashionably late, and with Dr. Jo, much to Katniss's surprise. Gale responded to her shocked expression by saying, "Well, I figured that if both you and Haymitch had a date, then I should get one, too. We would have been here sooner, but Jo was on call and some crazy cat lady was all upset because her cat was hacking up a larger than normal hair ball. I got to play nurse."

Finnick put on an entertaining auction, and raised a lot more money than was expected.

When it was time for the hay ride Gale, Johanna, Katniss, Prim, and Peeta rode together. Prim situated herself in between Katniss and Peeta, like she had all night, even when she was given the option to go play with her cousins or little friends. Katniss was kind of relieved by Prim's clinginess, it meant little to no time to have to think of conversation alone with Peeta, the thought made her nervous.

Johanna entertained them with tales from adventures in animal medicine. She had just gotten done telling them the story from when she was vet student and one of her classmates had been tricked into palpating a steer and called him pregnant. "…She hated working on livestock anyway, she about cried the first time she put her hand up a cows ass." Johanna quickly, covered her mouth. "Sorry, I forgot that little ones were present."

Katniss looked down and saw that Prim was fast asleep. "It's okay, she's snoozing. Besides it's not like she doesn't hear Haymitch say it all the time." Katniss assured Johanna and then she looked over to Peeta. "I think that it's about time to go soon, she's out for the night."

When the ride was done Peeta automatically picked Prim up gently, she looked tiny in his arms. He easily got off the wagon and then extended his hand to help Katniss off. She gave him a confused look, "You know I hop off wagons all by myself all the time?"

"Well you don't have to as long as I'm around." He told her proudly and with his free arm he grabbed her around the hips and lifted her off the wagon with ease. Katniss gave a little gasp at the unexpected move. His actions were so fluid that Prim never even woke. He loosened his grip and Katniss slid down his body and on to the ground.

"Wow, you're solid for a little thing." Peeta said in surprise.

"Yeah Peeta, she's a lot heavier than she looks!" Gale teased from the wagon as he gave Johanna a hand to help her off the wagon. Katniss gave Gale a scowl and tried to not to blush. _Of course Gale had to be here to see that, I'll never live this down._

Johanna flicked Gale's ear, "That wasn't nice, jackass."

"Gee, thanks," Katniss said half seriously. "Girls _love_ to be called compact."

"Oh, would 'fun sized' be better?" Peeta asked with a grin.

"No," Katniss laughed. "That would imply that I'm fun."

"You are I'm having a good time." Peeta said softly, so that no one else could hear.

After a few goodbyes they were able to load back into the truck. As Katniss strapped Prim in, she noticedPeeta checking his phone. She didn't mind, it was the first time he'd looked at it all night. She saw him shake his head at something he must have seen on his phone. Katniss was interested but did not feel it was up to her to ask. "Sorry about that," Peeta apologized, "I missed a few calls and I wanted to see if any of them were important."

"Were they?" Katniss inquired before she could stop herself.

"Nope," Peeta said lightly and open the driver's side door for her. "Nobody I cared to speak to."

The ride was back was much more quiet with Prim asleep.

"My, she must sleep hard," Peeta commented, obviously trying to make conversation.

"Yeah," Katniss sighed, "lucky little thing. I wish I could sleep like that. It makes you want to be little again, huh? "

"I wouldn't want to be little again," Peeta said mournfully. "It was hard to get much sleep at my house. I sleep much better these days."

"Oh, did you have night terrors? Rory had those when he was little." Katniss innocently asked, not knowing what else would cause a child not to sleep well.

"Something like that." Peeta admitted, and then he seemed to suddenly want to change the subject. "I was happy to see that Finnick has settled down he used to be a bit of a …"

"Man whore?" Katniss volunteered.

"Well, I was going to put it more politely, but yeah." Peeta said with a grin. "He used to be really wild."

"The family likes him, he's good for Annie. She used to be shy, painfully shy, and he has brought her out of her shell. They're happy together." Katniss shared. "I guess its proof that people can change."

They were silent a while and when they pulled in the drive Peeta spoke. "So tonight was fun, I've not been to a hay ride since I was a kid. Of course maybe I had so much fun, because I had good company."

"Yeah, Prim is a hoot." Katniss chuckled recalling the evening. "I hope that she didn't bug you too much."

"No, she was great…You're fun too," Peeta told her sincerely. "I like to hear you laugh."

"Thanks, I haven't laughed like that in a long time." Katniss admitted. She looked out the window, they were home. Peeta let them out and without prompting he walked over to get Prim out of her seat. He carried her to the house.

"You can put her on the couch," Katniss whispered, "I still have to undress her."

Peeta put Prim down on the sofa and then walked to the door. "So, I better get going so you guys can get to bed."

"Let me walk you out," Katniss suggested, surprising even herself. They walked outside towards Peeta's truck in silence.

"Hey Katniss, what was tonight?" Peeta inquired. "I'm not sure if this counts as a date or what."

"Um, I don't know…" Katniss half giggled. "I was hoping you could tell me. This is a little beyond my realm of experience. I don't think it can be labeled as a date since we were coerced into it. I'm sorry about that by the way, my family can be really obnoxious."

"No, I didn't feel forced into anything, I'm a big boy I could have said no at anytime."

"Oh, okay," Katniss said mystified. "So why did you ask what this was?"

"I just can't read what you considered this to be." Peeta told her honestly. "Look, I would like to get to know you better and want to spend time with you, I want to be your friend."

Katniss waited in silence, but the voice in her head would not shut up. _Oh, the 'friend' thing, even as ignorant as I am I know what that means…not interested._

"I know that I can't go about dating you like I would other girls our age," Peeta continued. "You've got your sister to think about and you need to put her first..."

_Code for 'the kid will cramp my style'._

"I think that we can be friends without it _necessarily_ becoming romantic..."

_Wait did he just say romantic? Where in the hell is this going?_

"My mom had a few boyfriends who showed up then went away without warning. Then one day she just brought this guy home one day and more or less said this is your new step dad. I resented it and I don't want to do anything like that to Prim. I know from experience how confusing that is for a kid." He paused then looked in her eyes. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Not really," she confessed. "But don't feel bad, I need things spelled out for me in very clear terms."

"I really like you. I want to get to know you. You're the most interesting person that I've ever met." he said and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I want to spend time with you, with no expectations of anything more. Are you okay with that?"

Katniss tried to take in everything that he had just told her. _This all seems innocent enough and it wouldn't hurt me to have a new friend_. "Okay, we can try it," Katniss told him earnestly.

"Good," Peeta smiled and asked. "Are we going to be friends who hug? I'm a bit of a hugger."

Katniss grinned and opened her arms, "Sure." Peeta wrapped her in a warm hug and lifted her off the ground and shook her a little bit, making chuckle, before setting her down. "Yes, you are a hugger!"

"Told you."

Suddenly, Katniss remembered her sleeping little sister. "Hey, I better go check on Prim."

"Okay, I'll see you later," Peeta finally let her go and stepped towards his truck. Katniss started to the house. "Oh, and Katniss…" She turned to look at him. "When you can't sleep you can call me, I can commiserate."

"Maybe I'll take you up on that," She said sweetly, thinking that she more than likely never would.

Peeta waved and got in his truck and drove away. Katniss watched him drive away and she wondered about the enigma that was Peeta Mellark.

**Remember the best gift you can give to the author of a story you enjoy is a review! Come on now spread the joy, Merry Christmas!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so sorry for my long absence, I got side tracked by a new story that I want to have completed before I start to publish it. **

**Thank you to all of you who have reviewed, favorite, and followed this story.**

**Thank you to kismet4891, my wonderful and talented beta!**

**I do not own THG.**

**Small World **

**Chapter 5**

The day that Katniss had been dreading for a while, the one-year anniversary of her father's death, had come and it had been harder on her than she'd expected. Haymitch closed the store for the day and he, Aunt Hazelle, Prim, and Katniss went to the graveyard where generations of the Everdeen family had been laid to rest. They found the stone marked with the names of Harland and Lily Everdeen and they left a bouquet of flowers. Aunt Hazelle led them in prayer, thanking the Lord for the time that they were on Earth and asked to give them the wisdomand grace to understand His will.

Later, there was a meal for the family to serve as a celebration of her father's life. Katniss wanted nothing to do with it, although she knew how much work Haymitch and Hazelle had put into it. Katniss had thought long and hard about inviting Peeta, but ultimately decided against it, if she was going to have an emotional breakdown she didn't want it to be in front of Peeta.

It had been two weeks since the hayride and Peeta had become her near constant companion. They spent every lunch hour together, the progress of the mural had slowed noticeably, and even Haymitch playfully accused Peeta of taking more time than necessary in order to be around Katniss as often as possible. They were still nothing more than friends that hugged, something that Peeta took advantage of on a regular basis, and Katniss had come to enjoy more than she ever thought she would. He came over on weekends to help Katniss keep the yard, do odd jobs around the house, cook for them, and then they would watch a movie with Prim. They had watched all three Toy Story movies in one day. Katniss could not get over how good Peeta was with Prim and how he'd been embraced by her extended family. He also even went to Aunt Hazelle and Uncle Galen's farm and helped Gale and Katniss milk one night; for never having been around livestock much he took everything in stride, even laughing when he fell on his ass in the cow lot and was covered in shit. He had to borrow clothes from Gale, which was in itself funny because the t-shirt and jeans that he was given was way too tight on his bulky frame. Gale dubbed it the 'dead sexy' outfit. Although it was a joke, Katniss found herself thinking that it was an appropriate name, she had a hard time tearing her eyes away from the way the shirt clung to him.

The only thing that bothered her about Peeta was that he rarely spoke about himself in detail, and she had to admit she was curious. He was always getting texts from a pretty brown-eyed girl named Clove, while other times he would get calls from someone named Glimmer, whose icon was a silhouette of a witch on a broom, and he would always ignore and roll his eyes. Katniss never asked for an explanation, she didn't have any sort of real claim to Peeta, they were just friends. _Maybe he was dating these girls or had in the past. If he was, alright but then what was he doing with me? Am I his new best guy friend? Then why is he sticking around and willing going through all of my family's crap and constant teasing?_

Katniss could tell that Peeta was slightly hurt by not being invited to the gathering, but said it was alright because it was a family only event and that he hadn't known Katniss's dad. Haymitch and Hazelle both had asked her to reconsider asking him to come along, she wouldn't.

Katniss had to admit that the more time she spent with Peeta that the more appealing the idea of having him as a boyfriend was. She couldn't deny her attraction to him or the jolt of electricity she felt when they hugged or bumped into each other in the shop or her home. Maybe that was another reason that she didn't invite Peeta to the family dinner, he would be there to comfort her as a friend and now she realized that she wanted more, so much more. His presence made it hard for her to think straight. She had even found herself relieving stress manually several times late at night in the last week, whereas before it was more like a monthly occurrence. _Oh, God what is he doing to me?_

At the dinner her family seemed to come at her from all sides sharing memories and stories, most of which she'd heard before. It was bearable until someone got out the photo album and Katniss and Prim were going through it and Prim saw a picture of their dad with a trophy buck that he had shot, Prim asked, "Katniss who is that?"

"Prim, it's Daddy remember?" Katniss explained.

"Oh, yeah, sometimes I forget what he looked like." Prim said nonchalantly and ran off to go find Posy.

It hit Katniss like a ton of bricks, _Prim is never going to remember our parents like I do…Will she remember them at all?_ Katniss thought about it for a few moments, sometimes even she found it hard to remember details about her parents; the way her dad would tug on her braid, or the way her mom would play with her earrings when she was reading. They were losing their parents a little at a time. Bit-by-bit their memory was being chipped away.

She felt panic rising within her, she had needed to get out of there, now. She found Hazelle and asked her if she could take Prim for the night. Hazelle agreed but wanted to know why. Katniss couldn't explain, she was about to explode emotionally and she needed to be alone. Her aunt reluctantly let her go home. Gale saw her collecting her coat and keys and he offered to drive her home, but she refused and told him to tell everyone that she wasn't feeling well. Next she snuck out the back door without saying goodbye, Prim spent the night often and would be happy because she would get to help Hazelle feed calves in the morning.

Katniss got in her truck and drove home, mentally commanding herself to keep it together. _I can deal with this on my own._

When she pulled in her drive way there was an orange Ford Ranger parked in front of her house with a tall, broad man leaning against it. Peeta was waiting for her. Just seeing him made her want to fall apart, he made her vulnerable, yet safe. Maybe that's really why she didn't want him going with her tonight, she knew that if he was around then she would cry for sure, and she hated to cry.

She parked her truck next to his, Peeta approached and opened the door for her. Before she could say a word Peeta told her, "Haymitch called me and said that you might need some company tonight."

Katniss wanted to be angry, she wanted to yell at Peeta and then go find Haymitch and chew him out, too. But she couldn't, she was emotionally drained and could already feel the tears starting to fall. Peeta reached his hand out and wiped away a tear, it was like the dam breaking open and she started to sob. "Peeta, it's so unfair!"

Peeta unlatched her seatbelt, pulled her keys out of the ignition and he lifted Katniss out of the truck and carried her bridal style into her house, whispering soothing words the whole time. He set her on the couch, held her, and stroked her hair for a long time, finally she cried herself out. They stayed quiet for a while Peeta offered to get her a glass of water. She took the glass and then Katniss finally looked up at him and whispered, "Thank you, Peeta."

"That's what friends do." Peeta responded with a sweet smile. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really, talking about it only reminds me how _not normal_ I am." Katniss sighed and looked at the huge wet spot on the shoulder of Peeta's t-shirt. "I wish sometimes that I could be like other people our age, that I could be a regular twenty-one year old with typical problems."

Peeta sat down on the opposite side of the couch, pulled her feet into his lap, and started to rub them. "Well, I'm glad you're not like everyone else, I like you the way you are." He sincerely said and then added seriously, "Besides I think normality is a myth, I know no one who is truly 'normal'."

"You're normal," Katniss corrected him.

"No," Peeta grimaced and gave her a pained look. "I might just be the most screwed up person you know."

Katniss didn't know what to say, Peeta was the kindest, sweetest, funniest person she'd ever met, what could screw him up so badly? He had alluded to his parents' rough divorce and his demanding mother and step-father, but he'd never gone into great detail.

"Peeta, please tell me about it," Katniss urged him. "You know all about me, but I know next to nothing about you, please tell me…Maybe hearing about someone's issues may help me forget about mine." Katniss added with a grin.

Peeta grinned a little, "Do you have any beer? It will make telling the story easier."

Katniss went to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of Yuengling and sat back down next to Peeta. He opened them both up and took a long swig from his, a few moments later he took a deep breath and asked her. "Do you know the term _sociopath_?

"You mean like serial killers?" Katniss replied.

"Sort of but not quite that extreme, but nearly." Peeta explained. "My mom is a full fledged sociopath, she only thinks about herself, her feelings, and she has absolutely no empathy for anybody else."

"Oh," she said to let Peeta know that she was on board. _This is going to be interesting._

"To understand you'll have to hear the story from the beginning." Peeta sat back and made himself comfortable for the long story. "My parents were only together a few months when my mom came up pregnant with my brother Mitchell, my dad, being the stand up guy he is married my mom right away. They had problems from the get go, but dad wanted to make it work for Mitchell. Moms thought that she would only have stay at home and do nothing but take care of the baby, and even that seemed to be optional. Dad worked hard to provide my mom with the things that she wanted. Four years later she got pregnant with me, she just planned on me being a girl, there was no other option. So when I was born she was so mad that she refused to hold me except for when someone like a doctor or nurse was there to witness it. Eventually she warmed up to me a little, but not much. Again Dad worked hard, both at the bakery and home to make it all work, although my mom made it unbearable for him. My parents fought constantly, or to put it more correctly, mom screamed and dad took it."

Peeta took another long swig and Katniss could not help but to notice his pained expression. He continued, "She would rant and rave for hours at a time, she didn't like the house, my dad didn't bring in enough money, he didn't spend enough time with her and she would go on and on. Apparently by the time I was about nine, she finally had enough and she filed for divorce. Originally she was going to leave Mitchell and I with dad, but then she remembered the pre-nup that my grandparents made her sign before my parents got married, so if she left the marriage she would get nothing. So instead she took what would hurt my dad the most, Mitchell and me. She would tell us that she was going to kill herself or say that dad would beat her, and us, if we didn't go with her. Mitchell and I were always covered in bruises anyway; it was always from her though. She would pass it off as boys being boys, even my dad didn't know till this day. We were scared for our dad, so we played along."

_Oh, God, how could someone do that to their kids? _Katniss wondered.

"She didn't want us out of love, she wanted the child support and the leverage against my dad. She moved us to Capitolville, that's where her boyfriend lived. When she filed for divorce she started an affair with her lawyer, Neil Snow, but the thing was he was already married, too. His wife was dying from MS and he promised my mom that when she died he would marry her. Well it took too long for her to die so mom also dated other men on the side, or rather she used them for their money so she'd never have to get a job. Finally the previous passed away and Neil and my mom got married. Mom finally had the huge house and the all the money she ever wanted. Neil had two kids too, a boy and a girl, Cato who was a year older than me and Clove who is a couple of years younger."

_Well, that explains Clove._

"I like Clove, we get along well, she says she likes me better than her real brother," Peeta smiled a little at her name and then his tone became more somber. "For which I can't blame her, I can't standhim either, Cato, is an asshole. He was always pulling shit and causing trouble, vandalism, getting caught with weed and he would try to blame Mitchell and I. He would always get caught and his dad would let it go and even use his relationships within the county government to get him out of trouble. Cato was the star football and basketball player so he'd get away with murder at school too. He passed only because of whom he was, my step-dad would threaten to sue or black ball everyone who challenged him. Mitchell and I on the other hand were supposed to be perfect, be involved in every school club, get straight A's, and be superior athletes. Mom had a plan for us to be like Neil and have white collar jobs, and be nothing like our dad, who physically 'worked' for a living. We were never allowed to take Ag class or do anything that was considered to be vocational, we were too good for that."

Peeta drained his bottle and Katniss got him another. "So, what happened next?"

"Mitchell couldn't take it, he stayed out of the house as often as he could, he spent a lot of time with Finnick and he would take me along when he could. He told our mom during a fight, that on his eighteenth birthday he was going to move back in with our dad. Mom said okay and insisted that he allow her to throw him a big party before he moved out. We should have known that something was up then. So there was a big party and she even invited my dad. Right after Mitchell blew out his candles, she announced that Mitchell was not a true Mellark."

Katniss's jaw dropped in total disbelief and couldn't imagine such a thing.

"Yeah," Peeta laughed a little at her expression. "She told my dad that she'd been screwing another guy and that she'd always known that Mitchell wasn't his and that she only married him because he was stupid enough to believe her. Mitchell was crushed and it screwed him up bad for a long time, he barely graduated."

"What did your dad do?" Katniss whispered.

"He did what he always does, he just hugged us boys and told us that everything was going to be okay. He told Mitchell that he still loved him just the same and that he was still welcome to come live with him. There were DNA tests afterwards and we were both tested, I'm dad's biological son, Mitchell is not. Mitchell wanted Dad to go through the court and get his child support back, but Dad wouldn't do it, he said that no matter what Mitchell was his. Mitchell never would have made it without Dad. He joined the Army just to get as far away from Mom as he could."

"So what happened after that?" Katniss asked cautiously.

"Mom went on like she always did, it was all about her and all of her actions were justified, everyone made her do the things she did. I wanted to move out too, but then she started to threaten suicide again or that she'd have Neil cause problems with for my dad, saying that he'd touched my brother and I in _inappropriate_ ways. I was young and stupid and I bought it so I went on like I always had. I thought that I could make her happy if I got good grades and I won every wrestling match, but it never did and I was _never_ good enough. Hell I even dated the kind of girls she thought that I needed to gain her approval."

"Like who?"

"Glimmer Thread," Peeta admitted, with a look of embarrassment on his face.

"You mean the senator's daughter?" Katniss gasped in surprise. Peeta nodded, Thread had been a one term senator a few years back and a huge local celebrity, he and his family were constantly in the newspaper. They were the most ridiculously perfect family in the county. They had three perfect, tall, beautiful, blonde children, Gloss, Cashmere, and Glimmer, even Katniss who didn't pay much attention to the wider world knew exactly who Peeta was talking about. "You dated Glimmer Thread…For how long?"

"Off and on again for four years," Peeta reluctantly admitted. "But you have to understand that I was sort of forced into it."

"Peeta, I've seen pictures of her, I can't imagine there was a lot of forcing," Katniss joked. "She's very pretty."

"At first, no, I was sixteen and all I thought about was how hot she was," Peeta told her honestly. "Her sister was dating Cato and I was expected to make sure that they had a DD to drive their drunk and/or high asses home from parties. Glimmer was my age and always tagged along with her sister. She dated me because her parents liked me and I was like a whipped puppy…" He looked at Katniss to judge her expression, she looked flabbergasted. "Like I said I was young, she was hot, and I let the wrong head do the thinking. She was shallow and spoiled, but the fact that she was my girlfriend made my mom and Neil happy, so I kept dating her. We were always fighting and breaking up, but then a few days later we would get back together because it was expected of us. Plus she had sex with me, and at seventeen that's hard to turn down."

"Wow, Peeta," Katniss gasped and giggled a little, she had not expected that admission. "Too much info!"

"Sorry, I only thought since we were being honest, that you needed to know the truth." Peeta apologized to her.

_Why is he telling me all of this? _

"Well anyways, I graduated near the top of my class and I got an athletic and academic scholarship to a small private college. Once I got away from my mom I realized how fucked up my childhood was and how I wanted nothing to do her plans for me. I realized how much I hated playing sports like it was my job and how all I wanted to do was create art and work with my hands. Glimmer dumped me because she was going to have to be with someone who would provide well for her and a college dropout would be an embarrassment to her, and her family. It stung at first but then I found that I didn't miss her very much, and that didn't really ever love her- and that I was better off without her."

"Then why does she still call you?" Katniss questioned him and then she blushed because she realized that he now knew that she had been looking at his phone.

"Snoop much?" Peeta laughed.

"Sorry, I've seen you reject her calls on a regular basis," Katniss confessed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to look I just see it from time-to-time."

"No, it is okay, I've been meaning to tell you about it, I just didn't know how to bring it up, we don't talk much about past relationships." Peeta dismissed her embarrassment and offered her his hand.

Katniss told him plainly with a slight grin, "Well that's because I've had all of one that lasted about eight months, it's nothing to talk about."

"That means there's a lot to talk about..but we'll save that for another night."Peeta smiled wide and rolled his eyes, "Anyway Glimmer has now flunked out of college, and suddenly I'm good enough for her again, I've told her that I'm not at all interested but she can't take the hint."

Katniss shook her head and brought the back to the previous topic, his love life. "So what did your mom do when you dropped out and Barbie dumped you?"

"Barbie!?" Peeta really laughed for the first time all night, his laugh was infectious and she had to join him. After a minute they both composed themselves. "Well Mom wasn't happy. She hit the roof, took my car away and told me that I'd never amount to anything," Peeta said coolly, like it didn't affect him much. "The only thing that I feel bad about is that I left Clove to deal with the aftermath, the only thing that saved her was that she's her daddy's princess and Mom won't jeopardize her relationship with Neil, without him, she's screwed. He's told her on several occasions that he could make sure that she's left with nothing."

"Oh, Peeta, I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that," Katniss said earnestly and crawled to his end of the couch and embraced him, he hugged her back tightly. "No one deserves that, least of all you."

"So, am I screwed up or what?" He asked half seriously.

"No, Peeta you're not, you just had the shitty luck to have a crazy mom, nothing that happened to you was your fault," Katniss explained to him sincerely. "In fact, now I admire you even more because you're so good despite of everything that you've been through."

"Thank you, Katniss, I was afraid that I'd freak you out, with all of that." Peeta breathed a sigh of relief.

"No," Katniss said honestly and snuggled into Peeta. "Like I said, I think even more of you now, and I already thought highly of you."

"That's good to hear," Peeta smiled. "So you've heard about my problems so now it's your turn to share…So what caused to 'iron maiden' to crack."

"Gee, thanks, nice nick name!" Katniss sarcastically replied.

"It's a compliment, really." Peeta elaborated, "You're just so tough and put together, it must have been something big to cause to cry."

"It's Prim," Katniss explained. "I only now realized that she'll never know my parents like I did and with a few more years time I won't be able to recall to details of what made them so special. I hate that for her."

Peeta was silent for a moment and he was deep in thought and then he suggested, "Why don't we make a book for her, you can write down the details and we can add pictures. We could do some simple picture books for now so she could look at them on her own and then write some stories and memories down for when she's older. That way it will help you remember too. You could even include your family too, to tell what you're parents were like when they were younger."

Katniss sat up and look at Peeta with her face blank and what he said finally sank in and she exclaimed. "Peeta, you're brilliant!"

"Why thank you!" Peeta chuckled.

"No really, would you help me with that?" Katniss asked quickly.

"You know I would," Peeta said like it was common knowledge. "I thought you'd know that by now."

Katniss paused for a second, to think about the comment. "What are you saying Peeta? And when you answer that remember that I need things spelled out for me clearly."

Peeta laughed, "How could I forget? I'm saying that I think that we've got the start of something here, we spend all of our free time with each other and have a great time together. I like Prim and she likes me, your family has all but adopted me. And…I'm crazy about you and I think about you all of the time, sometimes I get the feeling that it might be mutual. I just told you things that I've never told anyone, I trust you that much. I know that you're being really cautious and I don't blame you for that but I would like to pull the trigger on this and see if we've got a shot. I would like to make this official."

Katniss could feel her eyes get wide and her jaw drop."Official how?" She whispered.

"I would like to be able to introduce you as my girlfriend, I'm not talking about anything heavier than that. Could we try it please, Katniss?" Peeta inquired persuasively.

Katniss blinked and let it set in, _he really does like me. _She banished the doubts from her mind and existed only in the moment.

Peeta looked at her expectantly, his blue eyes, examining her face, but he never expected what she did next. Katniss reached up and placed his hand on his cheek, and brought her face closed to his and said softly. "Okay, we'll try."

Peeta beamed and asked in disbelief, "Can I kiss you now?"

"You can any time you want to," She nodded and giggled, "You don't have to ask."

He didn't need told twice and moved his lips towards hers, there was the awkward clink of teeth but the sensation was incredible, more so than any other kiss she'd ever experienced. Katniss couldn't believe how good and right everything felt.

When they broke apart for air Peeta gasped, "Wow, please know that I'm not lying when I say that was the best kiss I've ever had."

Katniss blushed brightly and hide her face in his shoulder. "Thanks, it was pretty good for me too...I almost don't want to let you leave."

Peeta became serious suddenly and he said. "Then I won't go, I'd stay if you ask me to, I'd sleep on the couch."

"Peeta, would you like to stay here tonight, just to sleep and nothing else?" Katniss asked in a whisper.

"Yes," he answered.

"Come on," Katniss pulled him off the couch. "I trust you to not try anything, I imagine that Haymitch has already shown you his gun collection."

"He has, and I told him that I would never hurt you." Peeta admitted.

"I know you won't." Katniss replied honestly and led him to her room and she thought. _I just hope that the same can be said for me, I hope that I never hurt Peeta, he's been hurt enough already._

**Thanks for reading! If I made you smile please, leave a review. **

**In case you're interested my new story is called **_**In Name Only,**_** it is a historical AU set during the Great Depression, and inspired by the everlarkrec DD, May-December challenge. I am now, on tumblr as izzysamson and I hope to have a preview of it up today. **


	6. Chapter 6

**So let me start off with an apology for taking so long to update this story, I got distracted by some other projects and took a hiatus on this one, but now it's back…I am so sorry for the wait.**

**I want to thank my lovely and talented betas kismet4891 and Court81981, they have been so helpful and supportive. **

**Small World **

**Chapter 6**

Katniss was awakened by a most delicious smell of sausage frying. She sat up suddenly. _Who in the hell is cooking in my kitchen? _The memory of what happened the night before came back to her: the emotional exit from the family party, Peeta waiting for her in her driveway, and how he had carried her into the house. They had shared so many personal things about each other, and how then he had he slept in her bed. Katniss blushed and smiled to herself when she remembered that last part; she couldn't believe how bold she had been in inviting him to spend the night. Not that she was afraid of Peeta—it was the thought of such an intimate act that did, and yet she had surprised herself and let him in. His past came as a shock to her, and she wondered how in the hell he came out of that sort of situation unscathed, how he remained a kind and compassionate person.

Last night when they settled into bed, Peeta had been a perfect gentleman. He didn't take any liberties with her that she had not allowed. He asked if he could hold her while they slept; she accepted and they spooned, his arms wrapped around her waist. The last thing she remembered was him giving her a sweet, innocent kiss on the cheek and how she fell asleep quickly. For the first time in a year she actually slept through the night.

Katniss lived her life in a constant state of high alert. She had always been that way, but it worsened after her father died. There was something about Peeta that made her relax. She could feel the tension leave her body whenever he was around—no one could make her laugh or feel like he did.

She got out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom to brush her teeth; the thought of getting to kiss Peeta first thing in the morning with fresh breath was an appealing one. Once in the bathroom she unknotted her braid, and she was about to braid it back up but then she decided to let it loose. Madge often lectured her about wearing her hair down every once and while.

Katniss padded into the kitchen, Peeta was at the stove. She could see that he'd been busy. There was sausage sizzling in the frying pan and a mixing bowl full of what looked like pancake batter on the counter. He was looking in a cupboard and had not noticed her yet. She took the opportunity to admire him. His hair was tousled and his face was covered in reddish-blonde stubble; she had to admit that Prim was right: Peeta did look like an angel. _I still can't believe that he wants to be my boyfriend!_

"Good morning," she called to him before he had a chance to catch her spying on him.

He jumped slightly before he gave her a broad smile. "Good morning, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did," she replied and approached him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you."

"Thanks for what?" he wondered aloud.

"I slept well because of you," she admitted with a little shyness.

He grinned and confessed, "I slept really well too. You're like the best teddy bear ever." He then wrapped her up in big hug, lifted her off the ground, and playfully sang, "I just want to hug you and squeeze you and wuv you all to pieces!"

Katniss couldn't help but to giggle as her feet dangled off the ground. He lifted her as if she were nothing. He made her feel so small and delicate; around him she allowed herself to feel feminine and that was a strange feeling for someone who'd been a tomboy her whole life. In the summer she could outwork most guys while unloading wagons of hay and straw bales. Every year, a bunch of arrogant football players would come out to the farm and would brag about how much tougher and stronger they were then her, yet somehow about thousand bales in Katniss would still be unloading seventy-pound bales two at a time while they were whining and moaning in the barn about being worn out. Her whole life she'd just been one of the guys, but Peeta made her feel…special. He wasn't intimidated by her physical strength or by the fact that she had 'masculine' hobbies. Katniss knew that by most peoples' standards they would be considered an odd couple, but thankfully she was never one to care much about what others thought.

Peeta gave her a look as if he were asking for something. Their lips were close, so close she could smell the wintergreen gum that he must have chewed to get the stale taste out of his mouth and Katniss made a mental note to offer him a spare toothbrush later. She remembered what she'd told him the night before, but she thought that she'd remind him, "You know you can kiss me anytime you want, remember?"

He pressed a short, but happy kiss to her lips. "I know, I just like hearing you say it," he half whispered and set her back to the ground, turning to attend to the stove while Katniss tried to fight the blush that was burning on her cheeks.

She looked at the clock on the wall for the first time that morning, and it read 9:45. "Shit," she spat.

"What's wrong?"

"I should have gotten Prim by now," she explained. "I left my phone out in my truck last night, damn it! Hazelle must be having a fit wondering where I am."

"No, we're fine," Peeta said evenly. Katniss gave him a confused look. "After you fell asleep, Gale texted me last night asking if you made it home and how you were. After I sent a message saying that you were okay, he sent another saying that your aunt was willing to keep Prim all day if you and I wanted to go do something."

"Gale knows that you spent the night?!" Katniss asked in a horrified voice.

"Yeah, it sounds like everyone did," he replied nonchalantly as he turned the sausage. "Is that a problem? You know, that I spent the night?"

Katniss had to think about it. Aunt Hazelle and Uncle Haymitch must not have thought too much of it. _Hell, Haymitch was the one who sent him here._ Her mother never would have let a man spend the night if she were alive, no matter how innocent it might have been. _But she's not alive…I run the household. I guess I make the rules now._ She tried to imagine how this situation could work out. As much as liked having Peeta in her bed, she knew that she couldn't allow him to spend the night when Prim was home. She and Peeta would have to figure this out soon. "They must have been all right with it or else someone would have been here to defend my honor," she supposed with a shrug of her shoulder and a light laugh.

"Oh, believe me I've already been pulled aside by several of your family members," he informed her good humoredly. "Let's see…Haymitch made sure that we were standing in front of all his marksmanship awards. Gale showed me the manure lagoon at the dairy and mentioned that it would be a fantastic place to hide a body. But I think that your aunt scared me the most when she threatened to cut off my manhood with her dull pocket knife if I ever did anything to hurt you or Prim, and the look in her eye told me that she dead serious."

Katniss grimaced, "I'm sorry, about that. My family can be…a little over dramatic."

"No," he disagreed and caught her eye. "They care about you that's all. Besides, they must trust us or at least realize that we're adults. I'm sure that Gale has had overnight visitors."

"I suppose you're right," Katniss agreed with a sigh. "Um, I'm going get my phone and make a call. I want to check on Prim."

"Alright, breakfast will be ready when you get back." He winked and started to pour batter onto the heated griddle. Katniss made her way to the door when he called out her name to get her attention; he then told her in a sensuous voice, "I like your hair down like that, by the way."

She thanked him in a barely audible voice. She didn't know what to think about the delicious shiver that ran down her spine when she heard his sexy tone as she walked out the door and into the brisk autumn morning.

There were about ten missed calls and new messages, mostly from Gale and Hazelle; there was one from Haymitch reminding her that she had today off work. First she called her aunt, who initially sounded annoyed with her, but Katniss knew it was simply because she never called when she got home. After airing her grievances, Hazelle was very chatty, asking all about Peeta. Katniss fibbed and said that Peeta slept on the couch, and she thought about sharing her new official relationship status but then decided against it. _I have to get used to it myself first. _After Hazelle assured her that taking Prim for the day was not a problem, she finally hung up and felt a little less guilty about having an entire day to spend with Peeta.

Peeta poked his head out the door and told her that breakfast was ready. She went inside and enjoyed the best breakfast she'd had in ages: pancakes, eggs, and sausage. Katniss had made the same thing for herself and Prim dozens of times but it never turned out this good—almost everything she made ended up bland, burnt, or unrecognizable.

They shared easy conversation; he was always able to make her laugh with his self-deprecating humor and witty comments. Peeta told her about a nice little art store in Capitolville where they could get supplies for the memory book. She already had the day off work at Haymitch's insistence. They cleaned up after themselves and Katniss got ready, again opting to wear her hair down with the sides pulled up and she even put on a little makeup. She wore a comfortable, slightly snug, green t-shirt with her denim jacket with her favorite jeans and square-toed cowboy boots. It was dressed up by her standards.

They stopped by Peeta's dad's place so he could change his clothes. He invited her into the modest but well-kept house, and it was everything that she'd imagined Mr. Mellark's home to be. The house was about fifteen years out of date and there were pictures on the wall of Peeta and another boy that she assumed to be his brother. There were some newer photos on the entertainment stand—it was Mr. Mellark with a woman and two kids that looked really familiar. When Peeta came down the stairs he announced, "Oh, I see you've found a picture of my new family. That's Dad's girlfriend and her boys Castor and Pollux."

"Cute kids…who is she?" Katniss asked, knowing that she'd seen the woman before.

"Jane Paylor, she's a teacher at the high school, but she probably started after you graduated," Peeta commented. "You would like her—you two could talk about guns and stuff. She and her husband were in the Army; he died in Afghanistan a few years ago."

"That's awful," Katniss commented.

"Yeah, I think it was really hard on the boys. They're twelve and nine, and the younger one is deaf. Dad has learned sign langue and everything. They're talking about maybe getting married next summer. I hope it works out, and my dad could get another chance to be a full-time father," he said with a little sadness. "He kinda got robbed the first time around."

Katniss took his hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze, and he responded in kind.

His face brightened a little. "I look really scruffy. Let me go shave and we'll be ready to go. I want to take you to some of my favorite places."

"You don't need to shave on my account," Katniss offered. "Besides, you might look good with a beard."

"So, I could grow a big ole Duck Dynasty beard?!" he challenged jokingly.

"Whatever floats your boat," she told him with a grin. "You're a big boy and can do whatever you like."

His face became serious. "You really don't care?"

Katniss chuckled a little. "Well, it's not that I would care what you do, but you're a grown man who can do whatever you like. I might tell you what I like and don't like, but I wouldn't tell you what to do…You wouldn't tell me what to do with my hair," she quirked an eyebrow and warned, "or at least you'd better not."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He just gave her a half a smile and said with a little amazement in voice, "I have never had a woman tell me that before."

"Well, that's a shame," she said with a bittersweet smile. The look on his face was that of pure admiration, and it broke Katniss's heart a little to know that at twenty-one, Peeta had heard for the first time that no one should dictate what he does with his own person. Katniss knew that he said that he was messed up too; a part of her was comforted by this, knowing that he wasn't perfect. Yet another part of her was a little frightened, knowing that it was possible for her to hurt him even further than he had already been.

On the twenty minute drive to Capitolville, Peeta held her hand the entire drive. She had never been one for displays of affection, but it felt right to hold hands with him. It was reminiscent of what she used to see her parents do. She never imaged herself in a relationship like this.

Soon they were in a Bohemian-looking store, Portia's Galleria and Art Supplies, situated near the town square among quaint antique stores, cozy restaurants, and little coffee shops. Years ago, Katniss sometimes would go shopping with her mom here, but she'd never noticed this store before.

An exotic-looking woman with mocha colored skin, wild yet comely hair, and small diamond stud in her nose greeted them. "Peeta!" she exclaimed and came around the counter to hug him; it was obvious that they knew each other well. "How have you been?"

"Really good, Portia," Peeta answered, the pride on his face apparent. "I want you to meet my girlfriend, Katniss."

"Oh, girlfriend," the woman smiled warmly and then shook Katniss's hand in both of hers. "Oh, my goodness, no wonder your work has been so fantastic lately. You've got a muse!"

"Katniss, this is Portia," Peeta explained. "When I was a kid she took me under her wing and taught me a lot about art. I used to hang out here when I was a kid."

"I never had to teach much—he's a natural artist," Portia told Katniss in modesty. "So what can I do for you today?"

They told Portia about the idea for the memory book and she gave them some ideas and suggested some materials and techniques. It was all Greek to Katniss so she looked around the store while Portia and Peeta talked about paper and adhesives. She saw that there was art for sale on every wall. It varied from photography, pottery, paintings, drawings, and other mediums. Soon she found some works done by a hand she now knew very well: Peeta's. They were scenes from Seamburg; she recognized the old school house, his father's sandwich shop, and the grain mill, among many others. One stuck out to her asfamiliar—it was a picture of someone looking out of the large window of the sandwich shop looking out into the street. There was a young woman carrying a little girl, and they were both very pretty and smiling. It took her a few moments for her to realize that it was a picture of her and Prim. Portia disappeared into the stock room and Peeta approached Katniss.

"What do you think?" he asked and broke the little spell the picture had put on her.

"Is that that me?" she wondered aloud.

"Yup," he confessed.

"No," she said in disbelief. "I'm not that pretty."

"No, you're right," he said evenly, "You're not pretty; you're beautiful."

She couldn't think of a reply so instead she blushed brightly, and then for lack of a witty response she rolled her eyes and grinned. "You are too much Peeta Mellark."

He took her hands in his."I was hoping that I was just right."

Before she could respond, Portia returned with a stack of supplies in her arms. "This should get your project started." She rang them up and the amount seemed ridiculously low.

"That can't be right," Katniss proclaimed at the register.

"No, it is," Portia smiled at her. "This is what it cost me. Consider it my good deed for the day. It sounds like a wonderful project, and I would like to see it when it's done."

Katniss didn't know what to say; she felt rude to refuse the kindness. Also there were a few other people waiting to check out and she didn't want to cause a fuss in front of them. She paid and thanked Portia and then they were on their way.

"Why did she do that?" Katniss asked Peeta as soon as walked out of the store.

"Because I told her that you wouldn't take it for free," he replied.

Katniss wanted to dispute it, but she knew that he was right. They looked around a few more stores and then Peeta took her to lunch at a little pizza parlor he insisted had the best pizza in town. The little stores were busy, but it was Saturday so it was to be expected. It was the first time in ages that Katniss had gone out to eat where there wasn't a toy or package of crayons to be seen and the conversation had nothing to do with what Cody Phelps had stuck up his nose this week in Miss Effie's class.

After lunch they went to Wal-Mart and the grocery to get the necessities of life. As they were walking back to his truck Peeta got a text, he glanced at his phone and then looked at Katniss. "Would you be interested in meeting my stepsister today? She wants to meet us at a coffee shop, but if you're not up to it that's fine, no pressure."

Katniss didn't know what to say. She had not put any thought about meeting any of Peeta's family. _He did say that he and his stepsister were close. _"No, I would like to meet her."

A short while later they wandered into one of the coffee shops in the historical part of town. Peeta found a small table for them to wait at. Soon a petite brunette with brown eyes and a high ponytail walked through the door.

He waved. "Clove!"

She smiled widely and made her way to the table and exchanged hugs with her stepbrother, "Oh my God, your mom would have a fit! You're unshaven and need your hair cut…it suits you, though!"

Peeta made the introductions and then left them to order their drinks.

"So, Katniss, it is so nice to finally meet you!" Clove said warmly. "You're all that Peeta has talked about for months, but I was starting to think that he'd made you up."

Katniss smiled, "No, I'm real."

"This is going to sound strange," Clove said and seemed to be examining her. "I don't know why but you look really familiar, but I know that we've not met before."

"I guess I must just have one of those faces," Katniss shrugged.

"So, um Peeta told me that you're raising your sister, Rose is it?" Clove said trying to start a conversation.

"Primrose, actually, we call her Prim, she's four."

"Well Peeta's crazy about her, and he's really good with kids," Clove commented. "I'm really sorry about your parents by the way."

"Thank you," Katniss said sincerely. "He told me about your mom too…I'm sorry that you had to go through that…MS is a really hard thing to watch people go through."

Clove got a little misty-eyed, shook her head, and softly said, "Thanks".

Katniss made the decision to change the subject. "So, Peeta said that you're a senior this year?"

"Yeah, I have a messed up August birthday so I'm already eighteen. I can't wait to get out of here." Clove said wistfully.

"Do you know where you want to go?"

"Anywhere far from here and my dad and stepmom," the brunette said. "If I left tomorrow the only person in the family I'd miss is Peeta."

Katniss suddenly was thankful for her family. Peeta came back carrying the drinks. "A cappuccino for Clove, a latte for Katniss, and green tea for me."

They all chatted comfortably for a while. Clove told them about her cheerleading squad; she hated cheerleading, but it kept her out of the house and put her years of gymnastics to good use.

He asked, "So have things been quiet at the house?"

"Only on the nights Dad works late and Dawn has an extra bad backache and takes twice the Vicodin she ought to," Clove told him simply. "Oh, and Cato has moved back in. He and Cashmere have taken over the basement. He got another DUI and couldn't drive to work anymore so he lost the cushy job Dad found for him."

"Well, that's one more reason for me to not go back," Peeta said in a low tone. "So he's roughing it in the finished basement with the home theater and pool table."

"Yeah and the best part is that now I have to see Cashmere and Glimmer on a regular basis," she said sarcastically. "The other day I was asked to tell you to return her calls. I've not said anything about Katniss yet—that would really set her off. I'm saving that for a special occasion, like a day I need a pick-me-up cause a Glimmer meltdown is always good for a laugh."

"Thanks," Peeta chuckled. "I was kind of hoping that she would find out soon, then she would stop filling up my inbox."

The subject changed and Clove asked all about Katniss and the gun store; she seemed sincerely interested getting to know Katniss better. After an hour or so, they all parted ways with the promise of getting together again soon.

On the way back home Peeta asked, "So what did you think of Clove?"

"I liked her. It's nice that you're close. It sounds like you're about the only stable person in her life," Katniss said warmly. "You're a good big brother." Peeta just smiled in return. Katniss added, "I feel like I got to know you a little better today."

"I hope that someday you'll know me better than anyone." His voice so was earnest that it made Katniss feel warm all over.

The rest of the drive was pleasant. It was three o'clock by the time they got back. They unloaded groceries and just sat and relaxed on the couch for a while. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I had a really good time today, Peeta," she told him truthfully.

"I did too. That was the best date I have ever had," he said and placed a kiss on top of her head.

"That's good. I'm really out of practice," she admitted.

"Well you will get back into the swing of it," he promised.

Katniss turned so that she could look him in the eye and gave him a naughty grin. "I think that there are some other things that I would like to practice too." Before he could reply, she pressed her lips to his. The kiss started out slow and sweet and then became more intense. Somehow without her totally realizing that she'd done it, she was on top of him, and their legs were tangled as he nipped at her lower lip. Making out was far better now than she'd remembered it being back in high school. What she remembered about those experiences was the feeling of Marvel trying to distract her by shoving his tongue down her throat while clumsily groping a boob or her ass. This was something different—it was affectionate yet impassioned, almost lustful. She had never felt this kind of feeling; it was all new for her. Peeta was setting her on fire. As good as it felt, she knew that she had to pull back. She wasn't ready for something like this yet; it would only complicate her already chaotic life.

She pulled away from the kiss, and while catching her breath hoarsely whispered, "Peeta, we should stop."

He nodded and gave her an understanding smile. "Alright."

"I'm sorry," she apologized out of habit. She remembered having to console her ex every time she stopped him because she was uncomfortable with what they were doing. Marvel would act as if she'd asked him to cut off his left nut if she told him to stop. She fully expected Peeta to be annoyed with her.

"Hey, don't be sorry," he said sincerely and lifted her chin with his fingers so that he could meet her eye. "Any time you want to stop anything that you're not ready for just say so. I won't implode if we stop."

"Thanks," she said softly. "I want to get more comfortable with all of this before…we take things further."

"I do, too," he assured her. "I rushed into a sexual relationship the first time and it really messed things up for me. If sex hadn't been involved I never would have stayed with _her_ as long as I did," Peeta explained. "I plan on being around for as long as you'll have me so I'm in no hurry for anything. I want to savor every moment that I have with you."

She just looked at him for a moment before she sighed. "How did you end up here with me? You should be with some tall blonde sorority girl, model type. Not in a trailer with a backwards tomboy."

"Believe me, you're far more interesting," he asserted. "I have yet to experience a dull moment with you."

Katniss let his words sink in; he was just too good to be real. Not knowing what to say next she asked, "So, what would you like to do now?"

"Um, do you want to go to your aunt and uncle's?" he suggested. "I'm sure that everyone's noses are itching wondering what we've been up to."

"You're right," she rolled her eyes. "I haven't let anyone know that we're _officially _together now so be prepared for obnoxious questions."

"As long as I'm with you, I'm okay with that." His words were so perfect that it almost made her heart hurt. She gave him another kiss, albeit a chaste one. They then changed into some farm-suitable clothes, hopped into her old beat up truck and left the comfortable little home. She let Peeta drive.

Katniss had enjoyed the break from her responsibilities and problems; her day with Peeta had given her some perspective. She was looking forward to seeing Prim—the day away from her was a welcome change, but she'd missed her.

Katniss reviewed the last year in her mind. It was hard to believe how different her life was from not all that long ago. She had spent so much of her time just surviving or grieving her losses, but with Peeta she could laugh again and start to think about the future and not dwell on the past for the first time in a long time. _A future with Peeta Mellark is a pleasant idea._

**Thank you so much for reading I hope that you enjoyed it! This story is close to my heart because it is setting is based on the county I grew up and still live in. As I've already said I am so sorry for the long wait.**

**As always reviews are greatly appreciated. **

**You can also find me on tumblr and Ao3 as izzy Samson. **


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